A New Life
by DramaGeek2010
Summary: With the end of the Wizard War, Hermione tries to find answers to why poeple do what they do. She falls into a world, like her own, in the midst of war. But she finds out that this world may be more than a place she stumbled upon.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N This is another story. Feel free to ask anything if something doesn't make sense. I have the basic idea for the entire story, but I'm open to adaptions if someone has a fun idea. So, without further comment, the story begins.**

* * *

The battle at Hogwarts had drawn to a close, and the survivors were celebrating the demise of the Darkest Wizard in history. Hermione stood, not feeling like celebrating after so many had been killed before her eyes. She walked out of the Great Hall and wandered aimlessly until she found herself in the chamber with the bodies of Voldemort and Bellatrix. The latter caught her eye as she stared.

Hermione couldn't understand how someone so wicked, so cruel, could be so beautiful. She looked at the emotionless, dead face that had once haunted her ever moment, that now would torment her even in death. After what could have been days or hours or mere minutes, Hermione began to wander the castle again, trying to keep her mind off those who were dead and gone. Before long, she found herself in a passage she hadn't known existed.

She deliberated what to do, and curiosity got the best of her. She started down the dark passage, lighting her wand. She looked around her at the bare walls wondering where it led, while unconsciously touching the ring on her left middle finger. The ring was an intricate weave of white metal.

Without warning, the ground below her fell away. Her scream stuck in her throat, and she clutched her wand tightly. The light went out as she saw ground rushing toward her. She was unconscious before she collided with the grass below.

* * *

When Hermione awoke, she found herself in a sunlit room with a pale gold color scheme. She looked for her wand, first, seeing it on the bedside table. There were shear curtains hanging in front of the windows and the doorway to the balcony, all were open, allowing a gentle breeze to filter into the room. A forest and gardens could be seen out the windows, and the balcony held a view of a city.

"Toto," she whispered, quoting one of her favorite movies as a child, "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."

"What was that?" a voice asked from across the room, by the vanity.

Hermione jumped, not having seen the woman standing there. She was tall, with long dark hair and blue eyes. She wore an elegant green dress, with the sides of her hair pulled back in a studded clip. Her face was sharp and angled. Hermione drank the contents of the glass handed to her, which turned out to be water.

"Where am I?" Hermione asked the woman.

"You are in Rivendell," the woman replied.

"Where is Rivendell? Who and what are you?" Hermione hadn't intended to sound rude, but she wanted answers.

"Rivendell is an Elven city," the woman replied, without taking offence. "I am an elf. My name is Arwen. My father, Elrond, is the Lord of Rivendell.

"I am glad to see that you are finally awake. I found you while I was riding about a week ago."

"Wow," Hermione muttered, "I have a great imagination. I should be a writer."

"Do not worry," the woman, Arwen, assured Hermione. "Gandalf will be here to see you soon."

The door opened revealing a woman who kept her face down. She said something to Arwen that Hermione couldn't understand. Arwen smiled as the woman hurried away.

"Gandalf has just arrived," Arwen told Hermione. "We should get you into something decent so you can meet with him."

Arwen helped Hermione into a simple, floor length, blue dress. Hermione liked the simple elegance of it. Arwen led Hermione out of her chambers to a shaded area in the gardens were a man sat. He was in a long raged gray robe with hair to match. Arwen left them to talk alone.

"So," the old man mused, "the school decided that your return was necessary."

"I'm sorry?" Hermione asked taken aback.

"I knew it wouldn't be long before the magic that binds these worlds would have the school call you back to Middle Earth."

"Professor Dumbledore?" Hermione whispered.

"Hermione, dear," he laughed. "Here I am known as Gandalf the Gray. Quite fitting don't you think? I _do_ look different here. So will you in time."

"I'm not dreaming, or in Oz?"

"No, you are most certainly not dreaming, nor are you in Oz. You are in Middle Earth. Until you understand more about yourself, I wish you to stay in Lord Elrond and Arwen's care in Rivendell."

"Yes, Professor."

"Not professor, Hermione. I am Gandalf. Now, I have something I need to do. An old friend in celebrating a birthday, and I am needed at the celebration. We can catch up when I return."

* * *

Hermione had kept her promise. She never left Rivendell, unless it was for riding with Arwen, with whom she had become close friends. Arwen had spent much of her time teaching Hermione archery, swordsmanship, and equestrian. She practiced her magic while Arwen watched in awe of her power. She had also picked up minimal elvish, and what she had it had been out of necessity.

Hermione met up with Arwen in the stables. The two of them were in tunics and leggings for riding. Their horses were saddled and ready, and they rode into the forest. Arwen froze before urging her horse into a gallop, Hermione following. After half a day's hard riding, they stopped to let their horses drink from a stream.

"What is it, Arwen?" Hermione asked, worried.

"I feel the Ringwraiths on the move," she muttered. "They are after the Ring bearer, and closing in fast. A ranger found the hobbits that have the ring, but he won't be able to protect them from all nine of the Wraiths, not without some form of injury."

"We are going to help them," Hermione stated more than asked.

"You do not have to do so, but I am."

"I will do what I can."

After letting the horses rest for an hour, they were running again. They stopped to water the horses just before dusk, and Hermione transformed them food. After the sun set, they set off again. The next day followed the same routine. As the third day dawned, Arwen slowed her stead to a walk and pointed to a man in the brush. She drew her sword quietly, Hermione following suit. The man was still oblivious to their existence. They both dismounted, and Arwen stood behind him on the left, Hermione on the right.

"What's this?" Arwen said touching his neck with the tip of her blade. "A ranger caught off his guard?"

The man stood the opposite direction, beginning to draw his sword, but stopped, seeing Hermione with the tip of her blade an inch from his chest. He lifted his hands in surrender, making Arwen laugh quietly.

"You need not fear us, Ranger," Hermione said, sheathing her sword.

"Where is he, Aragorn?" Arwen asked.

He led them to a quartet of hobbits, one injured. Hermione hurried over to him, examining the wound, as Aragorn rubbed the weed onto it.

"Frodo," Aragorn said. "Stay with us."

Arwen and Aragorn were talking back and forth in Elvish, some of the words Hermione recognized.

"This is beyond my power to heal," Hermione said apologetically.

"Only my father can save him now," Arwen whispered, before arguing with Aragorn for a minute.

Hermione stood and mounted her horse, snapping, "He's running out of time."

Arwen was on her horse as Aragorn hoisted Frodo into her arms onto the saddle in front of her. Their horses set off at a gallop, but were quickly surrounded by the Ringwraiths. They urged the horses into an all out sprint until they crossed the river. They were halted as the lead Wraith hissed, "Give us the Halfling, she-elf."

"If you want him," Arwen cried, drawing her sword, "Come and claim him."

The Wraiths began to splash across the waters in the river.

"Go," Hermione hissed at Arwen. "He's fading fast."

Arwen turned her horse toward Rivendell, before disappearing into the trees. Hermione drew her wand and pointed it at the water saying what came to her, not knowing what it met. A wall of crashing foam splashed passed, taking the Wraiths with it. Hermione smiled in triumph, before falling unconscious.

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**So, there is the first chapter. Yippee! Tell me what you think. I really, really, _really_, like reviews. (hint hint) Anyhoo, the next chapter will be up soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to all my awesome reviewers. I love them. Okay, so the whole disclaimer thing bugs the crap out of me. I don't both with them, because if i owned either story, I wouldn't be wasting my time on FanFiction. Now, one with the show.**

Arwen paced the stable, waiting on Hermione's return. She heard hooves on the cobblestone as a horse crossed the bridge. Arwen ran to the horse to find Hermione unconscious in the saddle. Aragorn walked up beside the horse and pulled Hermione from the saddle and sat her on the ground, supporting her shoulders. Hermione jerked awake, punching Aragorn in the face, pulling out of his reach.

"Oh, Merlin," she cried, realizing what she had done. "I'm so sorry."

Aragorn pinched him nose as the blood began to flow.

"I can fix that," Hermione said, panicked. "Bloody hell, where's my wand?"

She felt around her person and searched the saddle, not finding it. She flicked her wrist, muttering, "Episky" without expecting it to work. Aragorn's nose snapped back into place as pain seared through Hermione's right arm. She pulled back her sleeve to see an intricate tattoo the exact size, color, and design of her wand on the inside of her forearm. A twisted vine encircled her wrist. Across her palm was a golden dragon's head while its body stretched around the back of her forearm. **(A/N Hermione's wand was vinewood and dragon heartstring)**

Hermione looked up at Arwen who was staring at her openmouthed. Hermione ran a hand through her hair self-consciously, but stopped abruptly upon feeling how silky it was. She ran over to the river and looked at her reflection in the water. Her features had become sharp and angled. She was surprised by her likeness to an elf. She stood and pushed her hair behind her ears. She passed out as she felt her ears end in points.

* * *

When she awoke again, Hermione found herself in her room with Gandalf beside her. He smiled at her when he saw her awake.

"Do you have any memory of what has happened before your return here, Miss Granger?" he asked.

"What am I to remember?" she replied.

"I shall explain. Rowena Ravenclaw lived in Middle Earth before going to the Earth we know. She was an elf. While she was here, she was married to another elf and had a daughter. When war broke out when Sauron was in power, she ran to our world. While there she fell in love with a human and to my knowledge gave up her immortality, but I don't have facts for that. You were born eighteen years ago, in our time, here in Middle Earth ninety years ago, but your parents were murdered by the armies of Mordor while trying to save you. You were taken to Earth and placed in my care. I thought it best you were raised by Muggles, so I placed you in the care of the Grangers, old friends of mine. They raised you as their own daughter. Upon using your elven magic here, your elven side has been revealed."

"And my parents?"

"You are the last descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw in either world."

"What about my wand? Why did it do this?"

"Your wand changed when you used your elf magic. Mine became my staff. Your magic will be amplified tenfold. Now, my dear, I must see to Frodo, the hobbit you helped to save. Good day, Lady Ravenclaw."

He departed with a bow, and Hermione got out of bed. She walked across her room to her vanity and sat down, picking up her brush. She looked at herself in the mirror, examining her new appearance as she absently brushed her hair. After a while, she stood and looked in her wardrobe for something to wear. She pulled out a dark red dress and put it on. She wondered through the gardens before finding a gazebo, where she sat looking out over the lake until Gandalf found her.

"There is a meeting being held," Gandalf told her, "about what to do with the ring. You are the last of the Ravenclaw line, so you are needed. We will keep who you are a secret for as long as we can."

Hermione nodded and went back to her chambers to change her dress to one of deep blue. She pulled some of her hair back and styled it to make a good impression on those who were a part of the council. She walked out onto the balcony as the first members began to arrive. First were the dwarves, four of them. Five men also arrived soon after them. Three elves appeared on horseback shortly followed by a second trio. Hermione watched as each group walked into the city. She didn't care much about any of them until the last group arrived.

The elf had long platinum blond hair and pale blue eyes. He wore ivy colored tunic and leggings, with a quiver of arrows strapped to his back and two short swords or long knives under the quiver. He rode a white horse, which he dismounted with ease. He looked around the city in wonder, his eyes falling on Hermione before she swept back into her chambers.

Those who had come to the Council of Elrond sat in stone chairs around a small round stand. The area the chairs were arranged in was a shallow basin. Elrond sat in a chair behind a podium. Six men were seated in the semicircle, to their right four dwarves, and further six elves. There was an empty chair, then Gandalf and Frodo.

"We await one more of our number," Lord Elrond said. "Then, we shall begin."

Hermione entered the garden, but paused before continuing toward the men. She couldn't understand why she was so nervous. She had been in front of men before. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease and worry that they would not accept her for being a woman. She took a deep breath and walked passed Aragorn into the Council circle. All the men stared at her, while Gandalf smiled in encouragement. She stopped and bowed her head to Lord Elrond.

"Something you need, darling?" one of the humans asked seductively. "I'm sure I could provide."

Hermione turned toward the man, putting on a defiant face. She stepped toward him and leaned down so her eyes were level with his, her hands on the arms of his chair.

"You should understand who you are speaking to before you say something stupid that will piss them off," she snapped darkly. "You don't know who I am, what I've done, or what I could do to you. And all I'd have to do is talk."

The man's jaw tightened as fear flickered in his eyes. Hermione straightened and turned back to Elrond. She apologized with a bow, before taking her seat.

"What is this?" one of the dwarves roared. "A woman? And an elf none the less?"

"She is not here on behalf of the elves," Gandalf stated calmly. "She is here on my request."

"You had better have a good reason. How old is she, anyway?"

Hermione looked at Gandalf, as if to ask permission. He nodded his approval, and she turned back to the dwarf.

"Might I ask your name first?" she said politely.

"I am Gimli," the dwarf replied shortly.

"Well, then, Master Gimli," Hermione started. "First, it is rather impolite to ask a woman her age, even if she is an elf where age really doesn't matter."

"I'm going to take a guess," the platinum haired elf said. "You are fully mature, so at least fifty, but you seem young, so no more than one hundred."

"I don't know that much of elves, but I think I may be an abnormality. I am eighteen."

"An infant! This council is no place for someone so young and inexperienced, let alone a woman."

Hermione stood, furious. The mortals pulled away slightly as she rounded on the elf.

"You hold that I am inexperienced because I am young," Hermione said with venom in her words. "And I am weak because I am a woman. I may be a woman, and I may be young, but weak and inexperienced, I am not. I have been through more in my eighteen years then most of you in your lives. How many of you have outlived a war? How many of you have watched people you care about die? How many of you have been tortured for information that you will not give? How many of you live in fear that you will happen upon someone who just doesn't like you because you were born? That they might kill you? I have dealt with that, all of that. How many of you could stand by while you best friend fought a battle he could not win? I didn't. I was there beside him fighting for my life. If he had lost, we all would have been killed. And you think you have had hard lives?"

"Why do I have trouble believing that you went through all that?" the elf asked snidely.

"You could show them," Gandalf offered.

He tapped the ground with his staff, making the basin fill with a slight amount of water. Hermione tapped her temple and extracted all the memories she wanted to show. She dropped the memories into the water, and the Council was plunged deep into them. They flew through first year with the troll, Fluffy, the Devil Snare, the flying keys, and the chess board. They move on to second year with the writing on the wall and the slight view of the basilisk, to third year with the dementors and the full moon, being attacked my Remus. The memories faded, and Hermione started to speak.

"Here on in, the memories are hard for me to watch."

The only memory from fourth year was seeing Cedric dead body lying motionless on the ground. The fifth year memories opened with falling into the room with the veil. The memory went black as they were surrounded by black smoke. The Council looked around as the scene cleared to see five kids being held hostage. With flashes of white light, the Order members began to arrive. The memory froze as Bellatrix and Sirius began to duel.

"Imagine," Hermione said quietly, "Speaking two words and being able to kill someone. Imagine what it's like to hear those words and know someone you care about will be dead, and you can do nothing."

The memory started up again as the Killing Curse hit Sirius. The Council looked shocked at the ease of the death.

"The rest of these are mainly for Gandalf, but I'm sure the rest of you will get something out of them," Hermione snapped bitterly.

Hermione showed various memories from what would have been her seventh year. The wedding, the Ministry raid, the Snatcher. A new memory appeared, with Hermione's explanation of, "I said I was tortured."

_Hermione stood in a room with Bellatrix and Fenrir Greyback. _

"_Why do you have this sword?" Bellatrix asked. "Where did you get it?"_

_When Hermione remained silent, Bellatrix raised her wand and yell, "Crucio!" Hermione's screams filled the memory, causing some of the Council to flinch. Bellatrix asked again, and received the same, torturing Hermione again. When Bellatrix released Hermione from the spell, she was on the floor panting. Fenrir Greyback stepped toward her and pulled her upright, against his chest._

"_I don't know how a Mudblood can smell so good," he growled, sniffing her hair._

_She threw her head back and hit his nose, breaking it. Before she could do anything else, she was writhing in pain on the floor, screaming._

The memory flashed to Harry battling Voldemort. Gandalf watching in wonder as Harry explained everything even he hadn't understood and finally finished off Voldemort. The Council appeared back in their chairs, too shocked to speak. Hermione sank into her chair.

"Remus Lupin," she whispered, "Nymphadora Tonks, Cedric Diggory, Albus Dumbledore, Sirius Black, Fred Weasley, Ted Tonks, Colin Creevey, Alastor Moody, Lily Evans, James Potter, Severus Snape, Regulus Black, Charity Burbage, all dead because of that godforsaken war."

"I shouldn't have left," Gandalf muttered.

"It not like you could come back from the dead," Hermione snapped viciously. "It doesn't matter, now. The war is over."

"They let children fight?" one of the humans asked, disgusted.

"When there are only so many who can or are willing to fight, you take what you can get. You act as if I know nothing of war when I can stand my own against those far more powerful that I. That is the past. The ring is what is important now."

"Why don't we take a break?" Gandalf suggested. "We should all calm down before discussing the ring."

Elrond nodded, and the Council stood to take an hour recess.

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**So, there's another chapter. Sorry about Hermione's attitude in this chapter. She's still bitter over the war. She also hates being treated like a child. Tell me what you thought of this one. I really loved all the reviews. The more reviews I get the faster I will update. I want ten please. That can't be too hard.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to my reviewers. You're awesome. More Bitter Hermione in this chapter, with some other stuff thrown in. I hope you like it.**

After the hour recess, most of which was spent discussing Hermione's memories, the Council had reconvened. They had introduced themselves, some reluctantly, to Hermione and Frodo. Frodo brought the ring forward and placed it on the stool in the middle.

"It is a gift," Boromir said, walking to the center of the Council. "Give the ring to Gondor. Let Gondor use it."

"No," Hermione said harshly. "The ring is corruptive. It wants to return to Sauron, and it will do so."

"I agree with the woman," Aragorn stated.

"The woman," Hermione snapped, "has a name."

"What would a ranger know of such things?" Boromir asked Aragorn, ignoring Hermione.

"Do you not know who this is?" Legolas hissed standing and stepping toward Boromir. "This is Aragorn son of Arithorn, true heir to the throne of Gondor. You owe his your allegiance."

"Sit down, Legolas," Aragorn asked politely, to which Legolas complied.

"Gondor needs no king," Boromir hissed, sitting down as well.

"We must come to the agreement, then," Lord Elrond stated. "The ring must be destroyed. Who will be the one to take it?"

"I will," Hermione said, standing.

"A woman would not survive the journey," Boromir laughed.

"I would die," Gimli growled, "before letting that ring in the hands of an elf."

The elves stood, furious, and arguments broke out. Hermione sat back down and waited. Frodo stood and said, "I will take it, but I do not know the way."

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear," Gandalf said, standing neck to Frodo.

"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will," Aragorn said, as he knelt in front of the hobbit. "You have my sword."

"And you have my bow," Legolas continued.

"And my ax," Gimli agree, not wanting to be outdone by an elf.

"You carry the fate of us all little one," Boromir stated. "If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done."

Sam, Merry, and Pippin had also agreed to join them on the journey. Hermione stood and walked to Frodo.

"You have my magic," she said to him, "and, if necessary, my life."

"A woman," Gimli laughed. "This is not a quest for a dainty young elf lass."

Sparks flew from Hermione's hands, and she stepped toward the antagonizing dwarf. Gandalf interceded, putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder. She stopped and looked at the old wizard before turning away. She left the circle of chairs and vanished into the vast gardens.

"Master Gimli," Gandalf said, "You would do well to not anger her. She is more powerful than you know, stronger even than Saruman. You are lucky to have her on your side and not against you."

* * *

Later that day, Gandalf went looking for Hermione. He found her sitting in the same gazebo she had been in earlier that day. He sat down next to her waiting for her to talk first.

"I hate being treated like I'm helpless," she said after a long time of silence. "You say I'm the descendant of Ravenclaw, but why wasn't I in her house?"

"I am to blame for that," Gandalf replied slowly. "I asked the hat to make an exception to you. I wanted you placed in Gryffindor, because Harry would be placed there. You two needed to meet. Also, it would be odd if a Muggleborn was placed in Ravenclaw. You have the wit, but not the blood, or so you thought. I'm very sorry for keeping it from you, but I swore to keep the last Ravenclaw safe."

"Can I tell anyone?"

"When you deem someone worthy of knowing you may tell them. It is now your secret, not mine."

* * *

The sun had set in a fury of color as Hermione stood on the practice field where she had learned so much. She drew her blade and attacked her nonexistent foes. She brought her sword behind her head and began to swing, when it was stopped in place with a clash of metal on metal. She spun around and started dueling her attacker. Legolas raised an eyebrow with a cocky smile as he blocked her attacks. She felt his holding back, so she swung with more force. Their swords clashed together continuously for a long time.

Finally, Hermione disarmed Legolas, and he sank to his knees as she pressed the blade into his neck. She smiled at the shocked look on his face, before using the hilt of his own sword to push him backwards. She sheathed her sword before stabbing his into the ground. She extended a hand to him, helping him to his feet.

"You should know better than to attack someone without warning," Hermione said smiling, "unless you want a fight."

"Maybe I did," Legolas grinned. "Do you speak elvish?"

"Very little."

"I apoligize for the way I acted earlier. It was uncalled for. I am at the disadvantage. I told you my name earlier, but I do not know yours."

"Hermione."

"Hermione, how long have you been using a sword?"

"A few months," she replied honestly, "but it feels so natural, like I was born knowing how to use it. Same with horses and a bow and arrow. It feels like it's a part of me. Good night, Legolas."

She turned toward the direction of her quarters. She caught Legolas giving her a wary look. She felt his hand on her shoulder, before she had gone more than a few feet, stopping her in place. He stepped around her, looking into her eyes. She shivered as he stepped closer to her and took in his flawless features.

"Why did you lie to me?" he asked sounding hurt.

"I didn't lie," she replied defensively.

"You said you don't speak elvish, yet you are speaking it flawlessly even now. You understand me."

"You're speaking elvish?"

"You are, too."

"I am?" she asked, eyes wide.

"You didn't know, did you?"

"It must have been when I used magic," she said more to herself than Legolas as she looked down in thought. "That explains why I find all the elves suddenly understandable."

She looked up again when Legolas laughed lightly. She smiled at him as he brushed her cheek with the tips of his fingers. He trailed his touch to the back of her neck, before brushing his lips over hers. Hermione's breathing caught in her chest, neither moving.

"Legolas," Aragorn called form nearby.

The pair moved apart at the same time, Hermione blushing lightly. Aragorn stepped into the clearing as Legolas sheathed his sword.

"Did she disarm you, Legolas?" Aragorn asked with a laugh.

"She will be well suited for the expedition," Legolas replied, avoiding the question.

Hermione blushed and wish both men good night before heading back to her quarters. Legolas watched her until she was out of sight. Even then, he and Aragorn waited a few minutes before speaking again.

"I saw you kiss her," Aragorn stated quietly.

"I shouldn't have," Legolas replied, not meeting Aragorn's gaze.

"Why do you lock your feelings away, my friend?" Aragorn asked. "It's been years since Nira. You should find someone new."

"I will not forget Nira," Legolas snapped, harshly.

"I wasn't saying forget her. Find someone who you will share your heart with. You never did tell me. What happened to Nira?"

"She was murdered. What more of an explanation do you need? We need rest. We leave tomorrow."

Legolas walked away without a backward look.

* * *

**Okay, a little background for later in the story. Tell me what you think. I want ten (10) more reviews before updating again. Thank can't be too hard for you all. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks to all my amazing reviewers. Here is another chapter. Hope you like it. Gimli finally gets what he has coming.**

* * *

Hermione woke the next morning to find three tunics and leggings folded on the end of her bed. She pulled one set on and packed the others in a bag that she had expanded the interior of. She had also had made it light, feeling like nothing was in it. She pulled the front half of her hair back and tied it out of her face with a thin piece of fabric.

When she was done she began packing everything she would or might need on the trip. That included a few dresses, weapons, a mat to sleep on, food, more weapons, extra clothes, cooking supplies, warm clothes, and even more weapons. She left two swords, a quiver of arrows, a bow, two long knives, and six short knives sitting on her bed.

She walked out to the river and filled a handful of water skins before returning to her room. She put all of the water skins in her pack, and then left for the armory. She walked passed most of the bulky armor and found what she was looking for. She took three pairs of gloves and went back to her room, packing two pairs.

Elrond and Arwen arrived in her quarters just before she started to get ready to leave. Elrond handed her a long bow and a quiver of arrows.

"How much do you think I'll need?" Hermione laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

"Be careful," Elrond said. "In your time here, you have become a second daughter to me. I don't want to see you hurt."

He turned away, leaving Arwen and Hermione alone. Arwen pulled Hermione into a tight hug as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"Take care of Aragorn for me," she whispered. "I have something for you as well. Give this to the one you love, when you find him."

She handed Hermione a pendant on a silver chain. The pendant was a similar color to her ring and arranger in loops. There were three birds intertwined in metal. Hermione looked from the necklace to Arwen with a smile. Hermione knew it was saying that she was an elf, now. She would never be human again. Arwen took Hermione's left hand and touched her ring, whispering, "My Lady."

Hermione pulled away, startled.

"I will tell no one," Arwen assured her. "I asked Gandalf about your ring when you first arrived. Good-bye and good luck."

After Arwen left, Hermione walked over to her bed. She put the bow and quiver from Elrond into her pack before putting on her weapons. She put on thin black boots, sliding one of the short knives into each one. The other four were in her belt. There was a sword on her left hip, and one with the hilt over her left shoulder. The long knives were under the sword on her back, hilts between her shoulder blades. The bow was in the quiver of arrows strapped to her back. She tied the small knapsack with everything else she's need to her belt.

Hermione took one last look around her room before pulling the door shut. She walked to where the Fellowship was meeting.

"I'm not carrying anything for the woman," Gimli grumbled, as she approached.

"I don't expect you to," Hermione replied with a smile.

"That's all your bringing?" the dwarf scoffed. "Surely a woman needs more than that to survive in the wild for weeks on end."

"I have everything I need," she said, patting the bag on her hip.

"What? Witch dust?"

"I'm sure she has everything she needs in that bag," Gandalf told Gimli. "She is a very powerful witch."

Legolas walked up to Aragorn and said, "I apologize for what I said last night. I was out of line."

Aragorn smiled at his friend as the ten walked over the cobblestone bridge out of Rivendell.

* * *

At dusk, the Fellowship made camp. The hobbits almost collapsed from exhaustion. Boromir and Aragorn took everything off the horse that carried all their belongings.

"So," Gimli snapped at Hermione. "What's for dinner, woman?"

Hermione spun toward Gimli, throwing her hand out. He went flying into a tree and fell to the ground. He and Hermione glared at each other, until he looked away.

"Fix your own bloody dinner, dwarf," she growled.

Aragorn stepped between the two and stared a fire, beginning to cook. As they ate, Hermione watched Legolas talk to Aragorn. Frodo, Sam, and Gandalf ate silently. Merry, Pippin, Boromir, and Gimli talked loudly. When the four were done eating, they began to swordfight. As the night wore on, most began to sleep. Legolas and Hermione sat awake, keeping watch. Legolas sat down beside Hermione.

"Why do you act like I don't matter to you?" Hermione asked abruptly. "I mean, last night, you kissed me, and today you act like I don't exist."

"I'm sorry," he replied in a whisper. "You just remind me of someone I used to know. It's hard to think about her, and you look a lot like her."

The lapsed into a comfortable silence until the sun began to rise. Within the hour, they were moving again.

* * *

Some time had passed since the Fellowship had left Rivendell. Gimli had long since left Hermione alone. Aragorn and Legolas relied on her company to keep them sane. They stopped to rest before entering the pass to continue their journey. Legolas and Hermione looked around, watching out for anything out of the ordinary. At the same time, Hermione and Legolas saw a dark shadow moving across the sky.

"What is that?" Sam asked.

"It's just a wisp of cloud," Gimli said absently.

"It's moving too fast to be a cloud," Hermione observed. "It's moving against the wind."

"Hide," Aragorn ordered.

Everyone scrambled to douse the fire and sink out of sight as a flock of bird circled overhead. Legolas pulled Hermione under a bush and froze. They both looked through the fern the covered one side of their hiding place at the black flock swarmed above them. They sat still while waiting to make sure the birds were gone.

Legolas looked at Hermione and realized he was lying on top of her. She was still watching the air for birds. One of her hands was pressed against his chest, while the other was on his wrist. His hands were on either side of her shoulders. He didn't want to move, but he caught Aragorn watching him and mentally groaned. He pushed himself off Hermione and looked around for any sign of an enemy.

Once the birds disappeared from sight, Gandalf changed their path to the mountain pass. They fought their way through ice and snow, while Hermione and Legolas walked easily on top of the frozen precipitation. Before they had gone far, Hermione reach into her knapsack and pulled out four cloaks, handing one to each of the hobbits.

"Where does she keep all of that?" Gimli grumbled, making Hermione smile.

She faltered when she heard a faint voice and ran to the front of the group. As the sound grew louder, Legolas joined her.

"There is a foul voice on the air," Legolas said.

"Saruman," Gandalf muttered.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain," Aragorn yelled, as the rock beneath them shook.

Gandalf started speaking toward Saruman and Hermione moved to the middle of the group. Snow and rock began to fall over them. Legolas pulled Gandalf away from the edge, and Hermione threw her hands up.

After the snow settled, the Fellowship looked around. Everyone way ducked to the ground, but Hermione, who had a thin web of blue light stretching from her palms. The avalanche was held over them by the web, forming a cocoon. Hermione pushed away, and what covered them fell down the cliff face. She fell to her knees, panting at the amount of energy she had exerted. After a short discussion, they made their way to the mines and found the door.

"What does it say?" Frodo asked.

"It says 'Speak friend and enter.'" Gandalf replied. "You must know the password."

He tried many passwords without success. Hermione sat, staring at the door, going over anything that could be the password. After a minute, she stood and looked at the inscription.

"The order is wrong," she stated. "If it was saying 'If you are a friend, speak and enter' the word for friend would be first or last. It would literally translate 'Friend speak and enter' or 'Speak and enter friend.' This does not. The password is friend. **Mellon**_._"

The door opened slowly and they prepared to enter the mines. Merry and Pippin began to throw rocks into the water as everyone gathered their belongings. Aragorn stopped them and warned, "Do not disturb the water."

A long tactical shot out of the water and seized Frodo. Hermione was the first to react and shot a spell at the creature. The spell was deflected by its solid hide. Legolas and Hermione then began to shoot arrows at it while the others fought to free Frodo. They barely made it into the mine before the doorway collapsed.

Hermione didn't pay attention to what was going on, she just followed where she was led. She looked around the dark tomb warily. She hadn't felt this way since the final battle at Hogwarts, which didn't alleviate her fears. Everyone froze as the sound of a drum could be heard echoing through the halls. Boromir looked out the door before Aragorn and Legolas helped him barricade the door shut.

"They have a cave troll," Boromir muttered.

Hermione drew her bow while she stood between Aragorn and Legolas who had done the same. The orcs began to flood into the room. Once shooting arrows became too challenging, she drew two swords, one in each hand and began to fight any orc that came near her. She turned to see Frodo being stabbed by the troll.

Hermione ran in front of the troll and shot a stunner into its eyes, causing it to fall backwards. Gimli took the chance to kill the creature as Hermione knelt next to Frodo.

"I'm alright," Frodo breathed, showing the mail under his shirt.

"We must go," Hermione snapped, sensing the battle being far from over.

They ran toward the bridge, but were quickly surrounded by orcs. Light appeared from where they had come, making the orcs scatter as it drew nearer.

"Take the lead," Gandalf ordered Aragorn.

Some had made it down the stairs as the stone began to fall away. When only Hermione, Frodo, and Aragorn remained on one side, Hermione jumped as more stone fell from under her feet. Aragorn pushed Frodo farther up the stairs. Hermione slipped of the edge of the rock, but Legolas caught her wrist, pulling her to safety. Once Frodo and Aragorn were across, the group ran over the bridge, Gandalf stopping at the middle.

"You shall not pass!" he yelled as the demon stepped closer.

The bridge vanished from beneath the creature as the rock disintegrated. Gandalf turned away only to be pulled after the demon by its whip. He held on as long as he could and muttered, "Fly you fools," before falling into the dark abyss.

"No!" Hermione and Frodo yelled starting toward the bridge.

Boromir pulled Frodo back as the hobbit fought to get free. Hermione fell limply into Legolas as he pulled her away. She twisted suddenly looking at the bridge. Legolas pulled her tightly to his chest, whispering, "He's gone, Hermione." He scooped her into his arms as her knees gave out.

* * *

**So, what do you think? Please review. I want ten more before I update again.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok, so I went back and read the last chapter. I realized it was very slow, and not really worth reviewing, and that's saying something, because I wrote it. So, here's the next chapter.**

**And all elvish is bolded, in case you didn't figure that out.**

"Legolas, get them up," Aragorn ordered within ten minutes of escaping the mines.

Hermione ignored her feelings and stood, helping Sam up. Boromir and Aragorn were arguing about the abruptness of their continuation. Hermione agreed with Aragorn, they needed to keep moving. Orcs were on their trail. They shouldn't say in one place for too long.

They began their trek to the nearest forest. Gimli faltered before following Aragorn into the line of trees. Hermione felt herself relax as the shadows of the trees covered her. She didn't know why, but the shadows seemed to protect her, even though she knew that was not possible.

"Stay close, young hobbits," Gimli hissed, as the Fellowship walked on. "They say the great sorceress lives in these woods, an elf witch of terrible power."

"No," Hermione hissed in Gimli's ear, making his jump. "It's not me."

She brushed passed him with a smile. Legolas hid his grin, as the dwarf glared daggers into Hermione's back.

"As I was saying," Gimli snapped. "An elf witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell and are never seen again. Well, here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox."

Instantly, they were surrounded by elves with bows drawn. A male elf stepped forward. He had hair just a hint darker than Legolas, with a longer, more angled face.

"The dwarf breaths so loud, we could have shot him in the dark," he mocked, coolly. "**Welcome**," Haldir said, "**Legolas son of Thranduil**."

"**Our Fellowship**," Legolas replied, "**Stands in your dept, Haldir of Lorien**."

"**Aragorn of D****ú****nedain, you are known to us**."

"**Haldir of Lorien**," Aragorn said in elvish. "**We come for your help. We need your protection**."

Haldir looked through the Fellowship before his eyes fell on Hermione. His expression changed from dignity to that of worry and fear. "Nira?"

"I don't know who you are referring to," Hermione said. "I have never heard that name before. My name is Hermione."

"Forgive me, Lady Hermione," he replied with a bow. "I mistook you for someone else."

His eyes met Frodo's, and he said, "You bring great evil with you. You can go no further."

The Fellowship sat around while Haldir and Aragorn had a hushed conversation that only Legolas and Hermione could understand. Haldir finally relented before leading them through the forest.

The Fellowship followed him to a grand hall. Two elves entered. The man had long flowing robes and dark blonde hair. The woman wore a brilliantly white dress that seemed to give off light. Her long blonde hair hung in delicate waves below her simple crown.

"Nine there are here," the man said, "Yet ten there were sent out from Rivendell. Tell me. Where is Gandalf for I much desire to speak with him?"

"He has fallen into shadow," the Lady of the Wood, Galadriel, spoke in an airy voice. "The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little, and it will fail to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while company is true. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go, now, and rest for you are wary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep in peace, but I wish to speak to the youngest of your number."

Aragorn, Gimli, Boromir, and Legolas turned away and walked toward the door, stopping to wait on the hobbits. Haldir motioned for Hermione to leave, but she remained motionless as the hobbits walked toward the door.

"How old are you that hobbits know you do not surpass them?" Haldir asked her.

"Don't ask a woman her age, elf," Gimli growled. "They don't like it."

"He learns fast," Hermione muttered. "I'm eighteen or ninety, but I go by eighteen."

"You are a child," Haldir snapped.

Gimli stepped forward and pulled Haldir away, warning, "Don't make any comments about her being a woman or being young. I made that mistake, and I won't do it again."

Once Hermione and Galadriel were alone, Galadriel led Hermione to a basin. She filled the basin with water, as Hermione watched her in question.

"The mirror," Galadriel said mysteriously, "shows all that has been, that is and that has not yet come to pass."

She motioned for Hermione to look into the glassy liquid. She saw her life at Hogwarts flash backwards from the battle to first year, then to her Muggle life, but it didn't stop at her earliest memory.

_She saw an elf that looked the same as she did sitting next to Legolas. She didn't recognize the place or see it all that well. Legolas was laughing as the girl next to him blushed. The scene changed to Legolas looking at the girl, who lay dead on a cot. Legolas looked at the girl as his composed, emotionless façade crumbled and a tear slid down his cheek, "Nira."_

Hermione fell back from the basin, breathing hard. She looked at Galadriel, who stared back, sympathetically.

"You will remember in time," Galadriel said quietly. "Now, you must rest. Be at peace."

* * *

The Fellowship sat in their temporary housing tents, as a song filtered through the trees. Gimli and Boromir ignored it, while the rest stopped to listen. Aragorn and Legolas seemed to relax, stopping their worry of where Hermione had vanished to.

"A lament for Gandalf," Legolas stated.

"What do they say about him?" Merry asked.

"I have not the heart to tell you. For me the grief is still too near."

He put his belongings into his tent, before walking through the trees, absently. He didn't know how long he's been wandering, until he happened upon Hermione. He smiled as she sat in a clearing in a white gown, bathed in moonlight. He started as her heard her soft sobs and walked over to her. He sat down beside her and put an arm around her shoulder. Hermione buried her head in his chest, and he wrapped his other arm around her, letting her cry.

"Hermione," he whispered into her hair as her sobs calmed. "You are an elf. You are strong. You need not cry."

"How can you act like nothing happened?" She asked in a hoarse whisper.

"I have learned to control my emotions, as will you in time. You are still young. I am not."

Hermione looked at him with watery eyes and a smile, "Are you calling yourself old?"

"Yes, I am," he replied.

He leaned forward and kissed her lightly. He pulled away from her quickly, blushing slightly. Hermione brushed the hair off his face and behind his shoulder. Legolas held his breath at the slight contact as her fingertips brushed his neck, hoping she hadn't noticed.

"Legolas," she muttered, before pressing her lips to his.

OShe wrapped her hand around the back of his neck as he snaked his arms around her waist. He ran his tongue against her soft lips, which parted allowing him to explore her mouth. He shifted them so Hermione was lying down on her back. Her hair flared out around her head. Legolas held most of his weight on his arms as his long hair fell around his face.

"Nira," he whispered against her lips.

Hermione froze, and he realized what he'd done. He was about to apologize when she got a distant look in her eyes. She gasped and her head rolled to the side as she fell unconscious.

* * *

**Oooooo What happened to Hermione? Review to find out.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Okay, another chapter. Thanks to all my awesome reviews. My life would be boring without you. Just some housekeeping notes:**

**1. I haven't read the Lord of the Rings books yet, so i have minimal background other than what the movies give.**

**2. During Hermione's shpeel in chapter 2, she is thinking more along the lines of fighting with magic, not being able to da anything about some of the spells, etc. **

**3. Hermione is also eighteen where everyone else is much older than that. So, she's experiance more per year than them. **

**4. Yes, Hermione is very bitter and kind of full of herself, but I thought she deserved a bit of that.**

**Now, on with the show.**

_Two elves rode through the forest on white horses. Nira urged her steed faster, weaving through the trees ahead of Legolas. He followed her closely, making her laugh._

"_Come on, little boy," Nira called over her shoulder."You need to be faster than that, little prince."_

_Legolas rode up next to her and dove off the saddle, knocking her to the ground. They landed softly in the grass, rolling down the hill. When they came to rest, Legolas looked at his chest, where Nira lay, laughing._

"_You should know better than to insult a prince, peasant," he snapped, trying not to listen to her contagious laugh, and failing._

"_Peasant?" she asked, as he chuckled at her. "Since when am I a peasant? I thought I was a spoiled little witch princess. I could turn you into a rock."_

"_Yes, but you wouldn't," he said, his voice swelling with love._

"_And why wouldn't I?"_

"_You'd miss me too much," he told her, pulling her in to kiss him._

_He pushed her off him, without breaking the kiss, holding her on her back. He laced his fingers through hers. He trailed feather-light kissed along her jaw and down her neck._

"_Nira," he growled against her shoulder, "I love you."_

* * *

_Legolas walked away from Nira, as she ran after him._

"_I said I was sorry, Legolas," Nira pleaded. "It wasn't my fault. I didn't have a choice."_

"_You chose not to tell me," Legolas snapped harshly._

"_I didn't know. I swear I didn't. You think I would have chosen that monster, if I was given the choice. My father just married me off. It's not like I have my mother to stand up for me anymore. He was horrid to me, like I was his property not his wife. He acted like I owed him for marrying me. I didn't want a child, not with him. I wanted children, but I wanted you to be their father. I love you, Legolas, but I will not give up my daughter, because I hated her father. I wouldn't let him touch me, so he took matters into his own hands. I don't know what he did, but I couldn't fight him off. I couldn't die. All I could do was think about you and wish it was you with me. I'm so sorry, Legolas. I didn't want to hurt you."_

_Legolas watched Nira carefully as she shook her head and began to walk away. It hurt him to see her turn her back to him. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to face him. She was about to yell at him before he kissed her, pulling her tightly against his chest. Any fury she felt melted away as she lost herself in the passion of the kiss. She ran her fingers through his long hair, pulling him closer to her._

"_I'm sorry for overreaction," he whispered as he pulled back, letting their foreheads touch, so they could talk._

"_Do you want to meet her?" Nira asked._

"_Meet who?"_

"_Ithilwen, my daughter. She can think that you're her father, if you want. I don't care as long as I get you."_

_Nira pulled away and took Legolas by the hand. She led him into her father's room where Ithilwen lay, asleep. Legolas looked at the small child and smiled. He pulled Nira into his side, his eyes never leaving the baby before him._

"_She will carry on the Ravenclaw name," Nira whispered, carefully picking Ithilwen up, cradling the little baby into her chest._

_Legolas watched the mother and daughter interact in fascination. He had never seen a baby so close before, he'd never been allowed near one. Nira smiled at Legolas before handing Ithilwen to him. He held the small being carefully, worried he would hurt her, Nira smiling the entire time._

* * *

_Legolas stood in front of Nira, looking annoyed. They were both dressed for battle._

"_No, Nira," Legolas snapped. "You are not going to fight. War is no place for a woman."_

"_I am the heir to Rowena Ravenclaw," Nira yelled. "No spoiled little prince is going to tell me what to do. You may think you can, but you are sorely mistaken. No one tells me what to do, Legolas."_

"_You could get killed."_

"_So could you. That's what happens in battle. Some live, some die. Don't act like I don't know what war is like."_

"_You've never been to war."_

"_You think I don't know because I've never been to war? I know more than you can imagine, young one. Remember who is older. I may not have been in the battles, but I was alive when Sauron ruled with the Ring."_

"_Please," Legolas begged. "Go hide somewhere safe."_

"_What is this really about, Legolas?" Nira asked._

"_I can't lose you again," he whispered, not meeting her gaze._

_Nira looked at him, understanding showing in her eyes. She stepped toward him and touched his shoulder. She pulled his face up to look at her. The fear in his face faded as he looked at her. She leaned in to kiss him lightly._

"_I'm not afraid," she whispered. "I'll be fine."_

* * *

_Nira shot arrow after arrow into the darkness around her. She knew anyone friendly was behind her, while the enemy was in front. She drew her sword and slashed at a dark form that flew at her. She couldn't see what it was, but knew it was a foe._

_She heard someone get hit by an arrow behind her. She moved toward the moans of pain to find Haldir with an arrow in his thigh. She knelt beside him, touching the projectile lightly. It wasn't deep; his armor had absorbed most of the momentum. _

"_Sorry," she whispered, "This is going to hurt."_

_She wrapped her hand around the shaft of the arrow and pulled it out of his flesh, covering the wound with her left hand. Haldir hissed in pain. She muttered an incantation that healed the wound. His eyes widened at something behind her._

"_Nira!" he yelled._

_She turned to see a huge looming figure completely in shadow. Too late, she saw the vicious black arrow flying at her. It hit her in the chest, piercing her heart._

* * *

Hermione awoke, screaming.

**A/N Well? What did you think? That was a bit of background on Legolas for you. If you want a new chapter, I'll update faster with reviews. I love them.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay, love my reviewers. So, now another chapter, kind of filler, but still fun.**

Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli were in a permanent residence waiting on Hermione to wake. After Hermione had fallen unconscious, Legolas had taken her to see Galadriel, who had them put her in a bed to rest. Legolas told Aragorn what had happened, but left Gimli ignorant.

They all started when Hermione screamed. Legolas stepped toward her, but she pulled away from him.

"Hermione," he said, "I'm sorry for what I did."

As soon as she heard his voice, she fell into his arms and cried.

"Why are you sorry?" she sobbed. "I should have listened. I was stupid and selfish."

"You didn't do anything wrong," he whispered to her.

"You told me not to, and I should have listened."

Aragorn and Gimli stepped toward the pair, wanting to make sure Hermione was alright.

"Who- What- Where am I?" she asked.

"You are in Lorien," Aragorn said. "You're safe now."

"What happened?"

Legolas answered in elvish, "**I ****kissed you, and you passed out**."

"No," she muttered, shaking her head, "That's not right. I was with- and I got- but I thought-" she trailed off.

"Hermione?"

"Oh Merlin," she whispered. "I was dreaming, but everything was so vivid. I don't get it. Unless-"

She remembered what Galadriel had told her at the basin. She would remember in time. What would she remember, though? She recalled that the girl in her dream and the girl from the basin looked exactly alike. What had she been called? Nira. Where had she heard that name before? Haldir had called her that when they had arrived, and Legolas had said it before she started dreaming.

"Who was she?" Hermione asked Legolas suddenly. "Who was Nira?"

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I shouldn't have-"

"Just tell me who she was," Hermione snapped, getting annoyed.

"She was my wife," Legolas said quietly.

"How'd she die?"

"How do you know she's dead?"

"You aren't married, are you?"

"I wasn't with her when she was killed. I just know she was shot, while healing a fallen soldier."

"Who was she healing?" Hermione asked, shock and panic running through her.

"Haldir."

Hermione felt her body lose the strength to hold itself upright and slumped into Legolas. Her calculating mind was working in overdrive, processing the information. She twisted her ring around her finger, absently, as she thought things over. Legolas seized her wrist and pulled it so he could look at her ring.

"Where did you get that?" he growled, his hand tightening on her wrist.

"I don't know anymore," she whispered. "I don't think I really know anything anymore. I'm so confused. Why didn't he tell me? why didn't he just explain to me who I was or am or am meant to be or whatever I am."

She ran her hands though her hair in frustration. She pulled away from Legolas and stood, pacing the floor slowly. She lost herself in her thinking, and forgot about her audience of three, who stood silently.

"It's just my overactive imagination," she reasoned. "Haldir called me Nira, and I unconsciously thought about it. Then, Galadriel showed me the mirror, and my imagination put two things together without proof. And with everything Gandalf told me, of course I would throw everything into one. I used to do that all the time.

"But how did I know that she had been shot? The mirror. I must have unconsciously noticed that. But how in Merlin's name did I get her healing Haldir? It's just coincidence. I just thought that since he called me Nira, he was close to her. And he looked scared to see me, so he must have seen her die. That's it. I'm completely sane.

"But what about her? I guess I put some of myself into my dreams. I wouldn't back away from a fight, so she didn't either. She was like Tonks. She didn't care if she died if it meant protecting Ithilwen."

Aragorn and Legolas looked at each other quickly, before both drew their swords, or in Legolas' case, a long knife. Hermione jumped at the sudden movement and noise, falling to the ground. Legolas put the blade under her chin, looked menacing. Her heart raced as all sympathy and care vanished from his eyes.

"How do you know that name?" he growled. "How do you know the name of Nira's daughter?"

"Oh Merlin," Hermione breathed. "It wasn't a dream. That's what Galadriel meant."

"How do you know the name?" Legolas growled again.

"I don't know," Hermione cried. "He never explained that, so I can only guess. But tell me one thing. When Nira healed Haldir, was he shot in the leg?"

"How did you know that?" he asked darkly, pressing his blade against her neck, drawing a thin line of blood.

"You wouldn't kill me," she snapped. "You're too weak."

"Don't tempt a prince, peasant."

"Peasant?" she asked, unable to resist the urge to say it. "Since when am I a peasant? I thought I was a spoiled little witch princess."

Legolas took a step backwards, shocked by what she said.

"Gandalf said that when someone earned my trust, I could tell them whatever I wanted. It takes a lot to earn my trust. So, don't take it lightly when I tell you that you've earned it. I was trying to come up with the best time to tell you, so I guess now is."

She stood and touched the cut on her neck, healing it easily. She sat down on the edge of the bed, making the room soundproof. Legolas and Aragorn didn't move even to sheath their blades.

"I think it is best if I got the shocks over with first. Just don't interrupt. I really hate it when people do that. First, what is certain. I am the only heir to Rowena Ravenclaw. I found out about it literal the day of council. So, I actually was representing elves, but Gandalf didn't what it known that I survived my parents' murder. Second is just my guessing, which tend to be correct. I think I'm Nira reincarnated. Between the way I look and the memories that experiences here trigger, it's the only logical answer."

"What did you see when Galadriel showed you the mirror?" Legolas asked.

"I saw two things that I didn't recognize, but something tells me, they weren't the future. I don't know what it is, I just know. The first was you making her blush. I don't know why. The second was the one that told me that I'm Nira."

"What was the memory?"

"I was," she stopped, not saying more.

"You were?" Gimli prompted.

"Dead," Hermione whispered.

"Where did you get that ring?" Legolas asked.

"I've had it for as long as I can remember. I don't know where I got it. I used to wear it around my neck, before it fit."

Aragorn pulled Gimli out of the room, giving to two elves privacy. Legolas put his sword down on a table, before pulling Hermione to stand in front of him. He pulled a chain from under his neckline and pulled it off. He opened his hand, revealing a ring identical to Hermione's in his palm. He slid the ring onto his left ring finger, before taking her left hand. Her pulled the ring off her middle finger and moved it to match his.

Hermione gasped as memories of their wedding flowed into her mind. Her father had not been there and had taken her daughter from her. She looked at Legolas and smiled.

"It was beautiful, our wedding," Hermione whispered.

"Marriage transcends time and death," he whispered looking into her eyes.

Legolas pulled her lips to his, waiting for protest before deepening it, passed that of before in the clearing. He picked her up and lay her on the bed, before climbing on top of her to continue the kiss. Hermione unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. She ran her hands over his soft, smooth chest making his groan.

"God, woman," he growled. "Must you destroy my control and concentration?"

His lips found hers again in desperation. One hand supported his weight while the other ran down her body. She moaned lightly at his touch. He moved to kiss along her jaw and down her neck.

"Legolas," she hissed, "We shouldn't do this now. We need rest. We'll be leaving in a few hours."

Legolas growled but moved off her. She hated the loss of contact, so she moved on top of him. she rested her head on his chest and took his left hand in her right as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I love you, Nira," Legolas said.

She smiled and looked at him.

"You like it, don't you?"

"You're still going to have to call me Hermione while Boromir and the hobbits are around."

"I can live with that, as long as I have my Nira."

He kissed her forehead, and they allowed themselves to fall asleep.

**So, tell me what you all thought. Review review review.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Ok, another chapter. I've been busy with school, sorry for the gap in updates. Housekeeping notes:**

**1. Hermione is Nira reencarnated.**

**2. You will find out more about Nira as Hermione does. **

**3. Nira's daughter will be part of the future bits of the story, because I'm not cruel enough to leave you without more information on her.**

**4. Just to state again, I haven't read the books, so all of this is based off the movies and internet sites, so stop telling me that it doesn't match the books. I KNOW THAT!**

Hermione woke first the next morning. She didn't want to pull Legolas out of his peaceful state, but she knew they needed to get moving. She pushed herself up and kissed him lightly. He leaned toward her as she pulled away, trying to continue. He opened his eyes, smiling at her.

"I could get used to waking up like that," he muttered, nuzzling her neck.

"We have to get ready to leave," Hermione reminded him.

"In a bit," he replied, kissing her. "I have to get this out of the way, because we won't be able to do this until we're in a city."

She smiled and leaned in to kiss him, running her hands over his chest. He explored her mouth with his tongue. She pulled away placing feathery kisses down his neck, before moving to his chest. He groaned as she ran her fingers over the skin above his waistband.

"God, woman," he growled in frustration. "You are going to make this impossible. If you keep this up, I won't be able to keep under control."

She grinned wickedly, making his heart skip a beat. Before she could do anything else, he pulled her up to kiss him, pushing her on her back. He took her wrists and held them over her head, never letting their lips part from one another.

"Hermione," Aragorn called as he knocked on the door. "Legolas, we have to get going."

Legolas reluctantly pushed himself off Hermione, and retrieved his shirt. The pair went back to the rest of the Fellowship as they packed. Hermione pulled Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli aside.

"Do not call me Nira with Boromir or the hobbits around," she whispered. "They may have my trust, but Boromir has already been corrupted by the ring once, I want my identity kept secret until I deem it right for the world to know. As for the hobbits, Frodo is so tightly bound to the ring, anything he knows may fall into the hands of Sauron, and none of the rest of them can keep quiet."

"Of course, m'lady," Aragorn said with a slight bow of his head.

"And don't do that. Don't change the way you act around me, because they will ask questions. Those hobbits are surprisingly perceptive."

As they were leaving, Galadriel gave each of them a gift ranging from weapons to light to words of encouragement. To Hermione, Galadriel gave a sword. The hilt was decorated with elven writing, a large blue gem, and a raven. She drew the blade, watching it gleam in the sunlight. Down the center of the blade was engraved "Rowena Ravenclaw." Hermione smiled at Galadriel in thanks.

"I was charged with protecting it until an heir returned for it," Galadriel explained quietly. "You are like her in many ways, but you surpass her in bravery, which will please her. She would not have taken the challenge of this quest. She left Middle Earth because she feared what this land offered her. It will only serve one from the line of Ravenclaw, a true Ravenclaw, and they whom the heir deems worthy of its use. Farewell."

The Fellowship clambered into the boats provided to them by Galadriel and set off down the river. Boromir, Merry, and Pippin sat in one boat, Aragorn, Frodo, and Sam in the second, and Legolas, Hermione, and Gimli in the third. They were all silent while they followed where the river took them. They finally reached their destination and pulled the boats onto shore.

Legolas and Hermione were wary about stopping until nightfall and express their feelings about it to Aragorn. Merry spoke up and asked where Frodo was. They all turned to where Frodo had been, then to Boromir. Neither were there. They split up to look for them.

Hermione walked quietly and swiftly through the trees looking for the ring-bearing hobbit. Her keen eyes and ears caught movement at the same time and ran toward it to find Aragorn fighting a large number of creatures she could only assume were orcs, not having seen the creatures before in daylight. She drew her bow, shooting it quickly. Legolas and Gimli showed up to help them fight off the monsters. They frozen for a second, hearing a loud horn.

"The horn of Gondor," Legolas said. "there are Uruk-hai surrounding him."

Aragorn tore toward the horn as Legolas, Hermione, and Gimli fought off the Uruk-hai that tried to follow. Hermione picked up an Uruk-hai shield and tossed it out in front of her. She stepped on it, sliding down the hill shooting arrows. An Uruk-hai caught her off guard from above and knocked her bow out of her hand. She drew her sword and stabbed the creature in the heart, before looking for Aragorn. He was held by an Uruk-hai by the neck inches from the ground. Hermione felt her blood run cold and threw out her hand, yelling "Avada Kadavra."

The Uruk-hai dropped Aragorn before falling to the ground, dead. Aragorn ran to Boromir as Legolas and Gimli ran over. Hermione fell to her knees, her eyes not leaving the creature she'd killed with magic. Aragorn walked over and knelt beside her.

"Thank you," he whispered. "You saved my life, Hermione. You were very brave."

"Bravery has nothing to do with it," Hermione snapped. "Using that spell is cowardice. I've never used it before. I told you I could kill with saying two words. There's your proof. I used that damned spell. I'm a coward."

"No," Aragorn told her. "You are no coward. You did it to protect someone you care about. Hermione, you are not a coward."

"I'm no longer Hermione. Now, call me Nira. Hermione would never have used that curse."

"Very well, Nira, you are not a coward."

Aragorn stood and extended a hand toward her, which she took, letting him pull her to her feet. She threw one last look at the dead Uruk-hai and turned to Boromir.

"You let Frodo go, didn't you?" she asked Aragorn.

"The temptation within the Fellowship was too great. He and Sam have shown the ability to fight the power of the ring. I would have sent you with them, but you wouldn't leave Legolas."

**Ok, I know there was some amount of time in there between Lothlorien and the orc attack on the river, but I didn't feel like writing that in.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N Ok, so bold is Elvish, just fyi. This chapter is a bit of filler, but still fun.**

Gimli, Legolas, Aragorn, and Nira, as she was now known, were tracking the Uruk-hai and orcs that had taken Merry and Pippin. They didn't stop for rest at night, only short breathers for Aragorn and Gimli, or more accurately Gimli. After three days of travel, they saw a battalion of soldiers on horseback riding a short distance away.

"Riders of Rohan!" Aragorn called at them. "What news from the mark?"

The lead rider turned them around and surrounded the four remaining Fellowship members. The soldiers aimed spears at them as the lead rider came forward. Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli stood closest to him, while Nira stood behind them.

"What business do two elves, a man, and a dwarf have in the Riddermark?" the rider said. "Speak quickly."

"Give me your name horse master," Gimli snapped, "and I shall give you mine."

The rider got off his horse and looked at the four. Nira didn't meet his eye. She looked at the others, looking at their armor curiously. She hadn't been around a Man who had actually worn armor.

"I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher off the ground," the rider said.

Legolas and Nira both drew arrows and aimed them straight at the rider as Legolas said, "You would die before your stroke fell."

Aragorn pulled Legolas' arm down and stepped in front of Nira, giving her a warning look.

"I am Aragorn son of Arathorn. This is Gimli son of Glóin, and Legolas and Nira of the Woodland realm.

"A woman?" the rider laughed. "What is she, some common whore?"

Nira's face darkened as she stepped toward him, sparks flying from her hands. Aragorn and Legolas grabbed her, holding her in place. She used magic to draw the rider's sword and put it under his chin.

"Nira," Legolas hissed, and the sword clattered to the ground.

She pulled away from the pair restraining her as Aragorn said, "We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king."

"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe, not even his own kin," the rider said pulling off his helmet, making the riders raise their spears. "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over these lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan, and for that, we were banished. The white wizard is cunning. He walks here and there, they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked and everywhere his spies slip passed our nets. Sorcery is not welcome here, woman. It has taken many innocent lives from our land."

"I have no intention of harming anyone that does not attack me first," Nira snapped.

He glared at the four, trying to figure out who they were.

"We are no spies," Aragorn stated. "We've been tracking a party of Uruk-hai across the western planes they've taken our friends captive.

"The orcs were destroyed. We slaughtered them in the night."

"There were two hobbits," Gimli demanded. "Did you see two hobbits with them?"

"They would be small, only children to your eyes," Aragorn continued.

"We left none alive," the rider said. "We piled the carcasses and burned them. I'm sorry."

The rider whistled and three horses were brought forward.

"Take these horses," the rider said. "They had better fortune than their former masters. Farewell." He pulled himself onto his horse before saying, "Look for your friends, but do not trust a hope. It has forsaken these lands."

"For your sake," Nira hissed, "You had best hope they're alive."

"You are lucky, sorceress, that you have such friends, that they would give their lives to prove your innocence."

"I do not ask that they give their lives for me. A horseman like you does not pose a threat to someone as powerful as me. Some people are not what they seem to be. Do not trust your sight to show all that is truth."

"Had you been alone, you would be dead."

"Since that's worked so well in the past," Nira muttered, but he didn't hear.

She pulled herself onto a horse. Aragorn and Legolas did the same, Gimli sitting behind Legolas. They rode toward the pillar of smoke until they reached the pile of burning orc bodies. Gimli found one of the hobbit's belt and dagger. Nira sent sparks flying as she stepped toward her horse to go find the Riders of Rohan. Legolas pulled her into his chest, holding her tightly.

"First Gandalf," she muttered, "then Boromir, now Merry and Pippin, and that's just in this world. I don't want to lose you, too."

"Nira," he whispered, "Whether in this lifetime or the next, we will be together. You are mine as I am yours. I love you and only you."

He brushed his lips over hers, to assure her of that fact before looking around. Aragorn looked at the ground in question.

"A hobbit lay here, and the other," he muttered. "They crawled. Their hands were bound. Their bonds were cut. They ran over here. They were followed. The tracks lead away from the battle into Fangorn Forest."

"Fangorn," Gimli asked, "what madness drove them there?"

They followed the trail into the trees until the tracks changed. There were low notes sounding through the trees. They looked toward the sounds only to have their origin change.

"This forest is old," Legolas said quietly, more to himself than anyone else, "full of memories and anger. The trees are speaking to each other."

"Gimli," Nira hissed, "lower your ax for Merlin's sake."

"**Something's out there**."

"**What do you see**?" Aragorn asked.

"The White Wizard approaches," Legolas stated, quietly.

"Do not let him speak. He'll put a spell on us."

Aragorn started to draw his sword, Gimli readies his ax, Nira rolled her wrist, and Legolas began to draw his bow.

"We must be quick."

They spun around. Legolas let loose an arrow, and Gimli threw his ax at the figure behind them. Aragorn's sword burned orange, and he dropped it. Nira stood in one spot, smiling. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli looked at her in surprise that she hadn't done anything.

"Traitor," Gimli snapped. "You brought us to him."

"I did no such thing," Nira replied.

The White Wizard spoke, "You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits."

"Where are they?" Aragorn asked.

"They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?"

"Who are you? Show yourself."

The light around to White Wizard faded revealing a figure they recognized. Gandalf. They all looked on him in wonder.

"It cannot be," Aragorn whispered. "You fell."

"Through fire and water," Gandalf said. "From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountain side. Darkness took me, and I strained out of thought and time. The stars wield no end and every day was as long as a life age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I'd been sent back until my task is done."

"Gandalf," Aragorn said in disbelief.

"Gandalf? Yes, that was what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. I am Gandalf the White, and I come back to you now at the turn of the time," he said before leading them through the forest. "One stage of your journey is over. Another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed.

"Have they gained your trust?" he asked Nira.

"Long ago," Nira replied smiling. "I told them everything I know, and can guess."

"Who knows? Who have you told?"

"Only them, but you told Arwen and Elrond."

They walked on in silence.

**A/N Ok, yes an abrupt ending to the chapter, but I thought you would want to have something to read. Review please.**


	10. Chapter 10

A/N Again, I haven't read the books, so if this story doesn't match the books, that would be way, so stop telling me they don't match!

They left the line of trees as Gandalf whistled. A white horse ran up to them. They mounted their horses and set out for Edoras. They rode through the night. Nira put all her weapons into the pouch at her waist save a bow and arrow. Upon their approach, Gandalf explained.

"Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There rules Théoden, King of Rohan whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold on the king is now very strong. Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here."

They rode into the city and to the castle gates. The city lay in ruins. Before they could enter the hall, they were stopped by a guard. The guard looked at Nira with a flash of lust in his eyes. Legolas nonchalantly stepped in front of her.

"We cannot allow you before the king so armed, Gandalf Greyhem," the guard told the quintet. "By order of Gríma Wormtongue."

Gandalf nodded and Aragorn, Legolas, Nira, and Gimli handed over their weapons. They began to enter, but were stopped again.

"Your staff," the guard said.

"You would not part an old man of his walking stick," Gandalf insisted.

They were entered into the hall, and Gandalf spoke to the king. Nira watched the other guards watching them, many not taking their eyes from her. She sent them glares.

"I told you to take his staff," Gríma snapped at the guards. "Take the wizard's staff."

The guards rushed forward toward Gandalf. Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas kept them at bay. Five of the guards rushed at Nira, in hope of being able to do something to her. Before the other three had taken down one, all five of hers were on the ground unconscious, without magic. They watched as Saruman fought to keep control of the king. Nira smiled slightly as the king returned to his unpossessed self.

Éowyn led Nira to a chamber and helped her bathe and change. She tightened the back of the black dress that matched hers. Nira gasped as Éowyn pulled the strings to tighten the back.

"I didn't even dress like this when I was with the elves," Nira said.

The women walked into the thrown hall to find two children almost dead with exhaustion. Nira hurried over to the boy and gently gave him water. She handed a glass of the cool, clear liquid to the girl, who took it gratefully. She pulled out a knife and cut off the boy's shirt, looking for injuries. She healed a long scratch on his chest. His eyes fluttered open, and he smiled at her.

She helped him sit up and gave him more water, before giving them food. Legolas took Nira's hand. After the king made his decision, Legolas pulled Nira to her chamber. She tried to untie the back of her dress without success. She froze as she felt warm hands touch she neck. Legolas kissed her shoulder lightly, as he loosened the back of her gown.

She closed her eyes as he touched her back as the skin was exposed. He pulled her to face him and kissed her. She pushed off his shirt without any complaint from Legolas and moved toward the bed. He stretched out on the bed, pulling her against him. She rested her head on his chest as he ran him finders lightly down her back, until they fell asleep.

* * *

Early the next morning, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, and Nira prepared for the trek to Helm's Deep. Nira, in traveling clothes, ran her horse back and forth within the line of people. When she saw people who needed help she would give them food or water or heal their wounds. When they stopped to camp, Nira and Legolas sat together against a rock. Legolas wrapped his arms around Nira and kissed her neck as they watched the stars.

The next day, they took their positions. Nira rode slowly, while Legolas scouted in front of the group. Nira watched him with her enhanced vision, making sure he didn't need anything.

Legolas stood at the front of the group as two soldiers rode passed him. He ran to help them as they were attacked by orcs. Nira's horse reared as she urged her horse toward the charging orcs. Legolas jumped onto the horse with Gimli.

Nira shot arrows at the wargs. She turned to see Gimli under one of the dead wargs and used magic to push it off him. The attack group finished off the orcs, and Nira, Gimli, and Legolas looked for Aragorn. Nira joined Legolas and Gimli as they searched the churning water of the river of Aragorn.

The king insisted that they leave for Helm's Deep. Nira, Legolas, and Gimli glared at him as he rode away. Nira found her horse and mounted it, extending a hand to Legolas, pulling him up behind her. Gimli took a horse to himself.

Legolas rested his chin on Nira's shoulder, wrapping his arms around her waist. She felt a tear fall onto her neck and ignored it. She knew Aragorn and Legolas had been very good friends. He didn't need to be battered by words as well as memories.

"**I am glad you are safe, Nira**," Legolas whispered, kissing her cheek.

**A/N Tell me what you thought. Review. I hope you liked the chapter even though it was a bit slow.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry this took so long. It's the end of the school year, and I'm pretty sure all the teacher get together and say 'let's assign some big projects all at the same time.' This one is a bit shorter than normal, but it's cute.**

* * *

What remained of the group that attacked the orcs rode to Helm's Deep, and when they arrived, Nira found an abandoned tower and began to sing. Even though few understood what she sang, most stopped to listen. Legolas found her and watched her sing, until she fell quiet.

"Did I do Aragorn justice?" She asked quietly. "You knew him better than I did."

She turned and looked at Legolas as he answered, "Yes, it was perfect."

He pulled her against him, and kissed her. They sat down, but were quiet. Nira played with Legolas' hand absently, enjoying his company.

"**Did you ever meet my mother**?" she asked quietly after a long silence.

"**Yes**," he replied. "**You are a lot like her. She liked me, I would like to think, much more than your father. I want to say she would have approved of our marriage, but I don't know for sure**."

"**What was she like**?"

"**A lot like you**," he told her. "**She loved to ride horses. She was beautiful, powerful, and witty**."

"**Galadriel said she was somewhat a coward**."

"**I wouldn't know. I only knew her in times of peace, which she enjoyed. She hated fighting.**"

"**Am I any different than I was before**?"

"**You are just as stubborn, courageous to the point of stupidity, beautiful, entertaining, and strong as you were before. And even more in some of them**."

"**I want to get married again, to say we are married, not carried over from my past life."**

"**You will find no argument from me. We should wait until after this war is over."**

"**As you wish, my Legolas**."

They sat there together through the night and into the next day. When they did rejoin the world of Helm's Deep, they were avoided by most. Nira looked out over what would soon be the battlefield to see a horse and rider entering the gate. She hit Legolas repeatedly in the arm, until he looked at the man.

"Aragorn survived," she whispered in awe.

"He is very lucky," Legolas said smiling.

Nira and Legolas stood in front of Aragorn, stopping him.

"**You're late**," Legolas said, grinning, before looking Aragorn over. "You look terrible."

He handed Aragorn his Evenstar pendent, as Nira began to fuss over Aragorn's injuries. She healed his shoulder and various other injuries.

"Anywhere else?" she asked, worried.

"No," Aragorn assured her. "Thank you. I'm fine."

"Good."

She punched him in the arm. He winced at the pain.

"Never do that to us again," she growled at him. "Do you have any idea what it's been like without you?"

"I think you would tell me," Aragorn replied, smiling at the elven sorceress, "if I didn't have to speak to the king."

She stepped forward and kissed his cheek, whispering, "I'm glad you are safe."

Aragorn entered into the throne room, and all conversation ceased. Nira, Legolas, and Gimli followed him.

"Your majesty," Aragorn said, "A great host of orcs and Uruk-hai are heading toward Helm's Deep as we speak."

"A great host you say," king said, "How many?"

"Ten thousand strong at least," Aragorn replied.

"Ten thousand?"

"It is an army bred for a single purpose: to destroy the world of Men. They will be here by nightfall."

Théoden, Aragorn, Nira, Legolas, and Gimli walked to the front doors investigating preparations for the coming battle.

"We will cover the causeway and gate from above," the king stated. "No army has ever breached the Deeping Wall, or set foot inside the Hornburg."

"This is no rabble of mindless orcs," Gimli said. "These are Uruk-hai. Their armor is thick and their shields, broad."

"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own Keep."

"How can you know when you do not know what you fight?" Nira asked.

"War is the same no matter who you fight."

They followed his lead around the fortress. He shouted orders, making sure everything was in order for the attack. They walked over the top of the wall.

"They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Sauron's hoards will pillage and burn. We've seen it before. Crops can be re-sown, homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them."

"They do not come to destroy crops and villages like in times of old," Nira snapped. "They come for people, men, women, children."

"What would you have me do, woman?"

"What is it with people having problems with women fighting? I have fought in my share of battles."

"Call for aid," Aragorn interrupted.

"Who will come? We are alone."

The king turned and walked away, snapping orders.

* * *

**Up next: the battle at Helms Deep. I love review. They make me update faster.**


	12. Chapter 12

Aragorn, Nira, Legolas, and Gimli stood in the armory as the men and boys of Rohan were armed.

"Farmers, farriers, stable boys," Aragorn said quietly, "These are no soldiers."

"Most have seen too many winters," Gimli commented.

"Or too few," Legolas continued. "**Nira, tell him they are too young to fight!**"

"**I would,**" Nira whispered, "**but then I would be called a hypocrite. I said at the council meeting that anyone who could fight, no matter the age, should be able to do so.**"

"Look at them. They are frightened. You can see it in their eyes."

Everyone in the armory stopped talking and looked at the elf. He stepped away before turning to Aragorn and saying, "**And they should be. Three hundred against ten thousand!**"

"**They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras**," Aragorn replied.

"**They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!**"

"Then, I shall die as one of them," Aragorn snapped, before turning and leaving.

Nira stepped toward Legolas. She smacked him across the face and said, "**That's for giving into fear.**"

She turned and walked away, drawing the eye of every man and boy in the armory. Legolas stepped forward to follow, but Gimli stopped him.

"Let her go, lad. Let her be."

He pulled away from Gimli and ran after her. He finally found her, sitting atop the tower she had been on after their arrival. He took a deep breath before stepping toward her and touching her shoulder. She shrugged off his touch, looking away.

"**Nira,**" Legolas whispered, hurt, "**I'm sorry. I should not have acted the way I did.**"

"**You're right,**" she snapped, standing and turning toward him. "**You have been so positive, so not… **_**this**_**. And then you change. You tell us not to give into fear, then you do. Legolas, you may have lived many life ages, but you will never outgrow fear. You act like it's a foreign emotion, when you feel it all the time. I'm the only one who has ever seen you give into that desperation, until today.**"

He turned away not wanting to meet her eye.

"**I fear that we will all die**." he told her,** "because no one in Middle Earth can stand together to fight Sauran. I fear that Sauron will take power again and destroy every Man, dwarf, and elf. I fear that I will lose you again.**"

Nira took his hands. She looked at him in sympathy. He kissed her fingers, still not meeting her eye.

"**Someday,**" she whispered, "**I will explain what my childhood was like. Memories do not show everything. Not the emotion, or what was going through my mind. Then, you will understand why I can say I know what you mean when you admit what you just did.**"

She leaned into his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her. She rested her head against his neck, breathing in his scent. They stood in that position as the sun moved across the sky. As the sun began to set, they decided that Legolas needed to find Aragorn.

"**Do me a favor?**" Legolas asked. "**Don't tell Gimli that I said I was afraid.**"

"**Wouldn't dream of it,**" Nira replied, "**but it'll cost you.**"

Legolas smiled and pulled her in to kiss him, deeply. When they pulled apart, Nira sighed and leaned into his chest. They left the tower to find Aragorn.

* * *

Aragorn was in the armory, getting ready for battle, when Nira and Legolas found him. Legolas stepped forward and picked up Aragorn's sword. When Aragorn reached down for it, Legolas held it out to him. Aragorn took it from Legolas with a small smile.

"We have trusted you this far," Legolas said. "You have not led us astray. Forgive me, I was wrong to despair."

"**There is nothing to forgive, Legolas.**" Aragorn said. "**At least not from me.**"

"**Don't worry,**" Nira smiled, walking out of the shadows. "**He's already apologized to me.**"

Gimli walked in with chainmail on, saying, "If we had time, I'd get this adjusted." He let it drop to the floor, and it pooled there. "It's a little tight across the chest."

Nira laughed lightly, "Who said we don't have time? I _am_ a sorceress."

She took some length of the bottom and broadened the chest easily in seconds.

"That's better," Gimli said.

A horn echoed from outside the gate.

"That is no orc horn," Legolas observed.

The four of them ran to the front gate as a battalion of elves entered, led by Haldir.

"How is this possible?" Théoden asked.

"I bring word," Haldir replied, "From Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between Elves and Men. Long ago, we fought and died together. We came to honor that allegiance."

"**Well met, Haldir,**" Aragorn said stepping forward and surprising the elf but hugging him. "You are most welcome."

Haldir greeted Legolas and Gimli before turning to Nira.

"Lady Hermione," he said with a bow.

She walked over to him and put a hand on her chest before moving it to his shoulder in greeting.

"I am no longer Hermione," she said. "I'm surprised Galadriel didn't tell you. I go by Nira, now."

"**Well met, Nira**," Haldir said, correcting his earlier statement, before turning to Théoden. "We are proud to fight alongside men once more."

Nira began to follow the elves to their place on the outer wall. Théoden grabbed her arm.

"That is not the way to the caves," he snapped.

"Who said anything about the cave?" she replied. "You have no control over me. Nor does Haldir," she added seeing his eyes dart to the elf leader.

She pulled away and joined Legolas and Gimli at the front of the group.

* * *

**A/N So, tell me what you thought. The next chapter will get into the battle. Review, please.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N Okay, so in this chapter there is going to be a huge difference from teh books, because I haven't read the books for the thousandth time. this story is based on the movies and what that movies reveal. So, the Battle of Helm's Deep, YES HALDIR IS THERE! DEAL WITH IT! Okay, done with my rant. Enjoy.**

_She pulled away and joined Legolas and Gimli at the front of the group._

"Perhaps," Nira whispered to the pair, "I should step out of the shadows. I see the doubt in the elves eyes and the fear in the Men. Maybe, I can help them, by showing that I have no fear."

"Whatever you deem fit," Legolas told her.

"It is your secret to tell," Aragorn said, coming up beside her. "You are smart. You will make the right choice."

Nira took a deep breath and pushed herself onto the wall, ignoring the perilous drop behind her. She magnified her voice so all could hear.

"Men," she said, "Elves. I stand before you but a woman. I stand before you but a child to some. I stand before as an elf. But also a sorceress. I have the heart of a dragon, and the soul of a lion. I may be a girl of eighteen, but I will fight, come hell or Sauron himself."

Men and elves listened to her in awe. The boys of the Rohan army watched her every move if they could see her. She felt a new courage and strength fill her at the ability to grab their attention so easily.

"I am not afraid. If we have hope, we have something to fight for. I have been fighting more than Sauron and Saruman since I was eleven years old, a child to any race, but I have not given up hope. Even the young and seemingly insignificant can make a difference. Sauron and Saruman are cowards. They send armies to fight, while they hide away in their towers. Your king stands with you and fights alongside you.

"I see fear in your eyes. Fear of pain, fear of death. There is nothing to fear. What is there to fear? Death? What can Death do? He takes you from this world, but holds you for so short a time, you do not notice. You are brought into a new world, one of splendor, free of pain, death, and sorrow. Standing on the brink of death, we find a new reason to fight. So what if we die? We are fighting to free Middle Earth from the reign of Sauron.

"I may be a woman and only eighteen, but I will fight. You may ask how I can speak so assured of what death is like. I'll tell you. I died many years ago, saving a friend in battle. If I had not saved him, where would the elves be?"

She looked directly at Haldir who was staring at her in amazement. She smiled and looked back out over the two armies in Helm's Deep.

"I am the last heir to Rowena Ravenclaw. I say let the armies of Isengard and Mordor come. I have seen people fight and die, but I have also seen people fight and live. I have seen a boy of seventeen defeat the darkest wizard known at the time because he refused to stand down when the odds were stacked against him. When all hope seemed lost, we stood by him and fought and won.

"Tell me. How is this different? What do we fight for? I fight for a future, one better than this. I fight for life for the children who hide within the caves. I fight to stop Sauron from regaining power and destroying all we know and love. Why do you fight? Who will fight if not us? What say you?"

The army of Men roared as the soldiers left their hypnotic state that they had been in listening to Nira. She looked at the elves, who instantly sank to one knee. She stepped off the wall and smiled.

"**Rise, those who show loyalty to a Lady of the elves,**" she said.

All the elves stood and watched her intently. She walked up to Haldir and hit him in the head. He looked at her in shock.

"**That's for getting shot,**" she said, smiling.

"**They told you it was me?**" Haldir asked, sheepishly.

"**No, I remember it being you.**"

"**You remember that day?**"

"**I remember everything. Just not who we were fighting.**"

He laughed lightly, "**Of all things not to remember.**"

They were stopped but the sounding of an orc horn, making them turn toward the approaching army. The elves took up positions to fight on the outer wall and below them. Nira, Legolas, and Gimli stood in formation with the elves while Aragorn walked among them.

"Could have picked a better spot," Gimli complained to Legolas.

Aragorn joined them, as they stared that the orcs as they approached. Nira looked at him over her shoulder. He caught her eyes and smiled at her.

"You did the right thing," he told her. "The men have lost most of their fear, but not all of it."

"If they lost all of it," Nira replied, "I would be worried."

"Well the luck you live by," Gimli said to Aragorn, "let's hope it lasts the night."

"Your friends are with you Aragorn," Legolas said as lightning filled the sky.

"Let's hope they last the night."

"They will," Nira assured all three of them.

Rain started to fall in sheets over both armies. Nira smiled as the water poured over her face. Aragorn walked through the lines of the elves.

"**Show them no mercy for you will receive none.**"

There was a long silence while the orcs waited for orders.

"What's going on out there?" Gimli asked, jumping to see over the stone wall.

"Shall I describe it to you?" Legolas said. "Or would you like me to find you a box?"

Gimli laughed as the orcs began to beat the ground with their long spears. Legolas lower his hand to take Nira's as the orc began their attack on the wall.

"**Prepare to fire!**" Aragorn ordered.

All the elves drew arrows and took aim.

"**Their armor is weak at the neck and beneath the arms,**" Legolas said.

Orcs shot arrow at the elves, and Nira threw out her hand shielding the soldiers of both Men and elves. Ladders were hoisted so the orcs could reach the soldiers. Swords were drawn and the fighting began.

"Legolas," Gimli called. "I'm on two already."

"I'm on seventeen," Legolas replied.

"You both are pathetic," Nira yelled over the clash of metal.

"What? It makes it fun," Gimli replied.

"I wasn't referring to that. I'm on twenty-three, without magic."

Legolas and Gimli exchanged looks before launching back into the fight. All three continued to fell foes. Nira began to fall back as was ordered. She saw Haldir get shot in the leg and ran to him. She knelt down and pulled the arrow out.

"No, Nira," he said gasping at the pain. "Not again. You can't die for me again."

"I learn from what has happened to me, Haldir," she hissed. "I won't let you die."

"Nira!" he yelled seeing something coming at them.

She spun around and threw out her hand, "Avada Kadavra!" she yelled, and the Uruk-hai coming at her, fell backward dead.

She pulled Haldir to his feet, and they ran into the Keep. She lowered him to the floor and healed his injuries. Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas found them and seemed to relax.

"Never do that again, Nira," Haldir growled.

She pushed on his injury, making him wince in pain.

"What did she do?" Legolas asked.

"It was a profound sense of déjà vu, in more than one way. At least, she learns. I got shot again, same place, too. She had to play medic, _again_, and almost got killed."

Nira pushed on his injury again, purposely making him cry out in pain, before healing it.

"Stop complaining," she hissed. "At least, you're alive. I couldn't let you get killed."

The orcs began beating at the gate to the throne room. Sun filtered through the upper windows as they agreed to ride out of the Keep. They all rode out as the orcs broke in. They looked at the sunrise as they made their way out of the fortress, to see Gandalf with the Riders of Rohan. They started their attack. Nira smiled and charged at the orcs. She struck down any that were in her reach. They drove the orcs away defeating Sauron's armies at Helm's Deep.

Legolas found Gimli sitting on top of an orc, leaning on his ax which was lodged in the orc's skull. He grinned and asked, "So, how many did you kill, elf?"

"Final count, forty-two," Legolas stated.

"Forty- two? That's not bad for a pointy eared, elvish princeling. I myself am sitting pretty on forty-three," Gimli smiled.

Legolas pulled an arrow and shot the orc below Gimli and said, "Forty-three."

"He was already dead!"

"He was twitching."

"He was twitching because he's got my ax embedded in his nervous system!"

"Boys!" Nira snapped at them. "You squabble like school girls. You don't need to compete for the first place spot. I killed fifty-four, without magic"

Legolas laughed lightly as Gimli pouted.

"Come on," Nira said. "We need to find the rest of them."

**A/N A bit of humor in the doom and gloom of battle. Review.**


	14. Chapter 14

Théoden, Gandalf, Legolas, Aragorn, Nira, Haldir, and an assortment of other soldiers rode toward Isengard within hours of their victory at Helm's Deep.

"Sauron's wrath will be terrible," Gandalf said, "his retribution swift. The battle to Helm's Deep is over. the battle for Middle Earth is about to begin. All our hopes now lie with two little hobbits, that are somewhere in the wilderness."

They rode out of the forest to find Merry and Pippin sitting in front of Isengard. when Pippin found the Seein Stone, Gandalf took the orb and wrapped it in a blanket. Not long after, they returned to Edoras. Nira put on one of her elven dresses and joined the men in the main hall.

The men who had fought in the Battle of Helm's Deep from Edoras stood in the main hall. Théoden stood in front of the crowd. Nira, Haldir, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli stood in the front row.

"Tonight," Théoden said loudly, "we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country, hail the victorious dead"

"HAIL!" everyone yelled.

The drinking started quickly. Gandalf handed Nira a bag and she smiled. Legolas gave her an odd look as she found Aragorn, and then Gimli challenging Haldir to a drinking game. Éomer handed both of them a glass of alcohol.

"Stop," Nira ordered.

Gimli and Haldir paused waiting for her to continue. Éomer rolled his eyes at her.

"Can't we watch a simple drinking game without a woman stepping in?" Éomer asked bitterly.

Nira snapped her fingers at Haldir and motioned for him to clear the table. He did so as she told Aragorn and Legolas to stand around the table.

"You want a drinking game?" Nira asked sweetly. "You play my way."

She pulled five shot glasses out of the bag in her hand. The men around the table laughed at her.

"That will take all night," Éomer said, joining in the laughing.

Nira pulled out a crystal bottle and poured the drink into each of the glasses. She handed the bottle to Éomer telling him to give them refills. She pushed a glass to each Haldir, Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli. She picked hers up and smiled.

"Shots of water?" Gimli asked.

Nira drank the shot quickly and exhaled, breathing out a line of smoke.

"Merlin, I missed this stuff," she sighed.

The men around the table looked at her.

"Come on, boys," she urged. "You don't want to be out-drunk by a woman, do you?"

Haldir, Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli looked at each other before throwing their heads back, drinking the liquid. They all turned their heads and spit out the drink, gagging.

"What is that?" Aragorn asked. "It burns."

"Did you think the smoke was for show?" Nira asked laughing. "It's call firewhiskey, best drink there is, especially Rosemartta's. I've been drink this since I was fourteen, just don't tell Gandalf."

They all looked at someone behind her. She closed her eyes knowing what they were looking at, or more specifically who. She put on an innocent smile before turning to look at Gandalf.

"I know what went on in my school, dear," Gandalf told her. "Some lessons are better learned out of experience than out of avoidance. Carry on. It should be interesting to see who wins."

Nira turned back to the table of men and grinned evilly.

"First one was free," she said. "Éomer, refills please. In my rules, you can bow out because firewhiskey is really strong."

She took the second shot, exhaling the smoke again, as the men did the same. After ten shots, Aragorn looked around the table and put down his next shot, staggering backwards.

"Told you it was strong," Nira laughed.

After thirty-nine shots, Legolas and Haldir looked like the liquor was beginning to affect them, as Gimli passed out. After fifty-six, Haldir took his leave, not wanting to act too much a fool. Legolas and Nira looked at each other across the table, challenging each other. The number of shots had doubled to one hundred twelve before Legolas gave up. He fell backwards into the chair one of the men pushed up behind him.

"So," Nira said to Éomer, her words slurred slightly, "still think a woman is any weaker than a man?"

"The question is: how will you handle the hangover in the morning?" he replied.

"I'll get to that in the morning," she giggled before taking the bottle from his hand.

She took a long swig of it before putting it back in her bag. She walked over to Legolas and pulled him to his feet. They walked to their room and Nira let Legolas fall on the bed. He pushed himself up onto an arm as she unbuttoned his shirt, taking it off his shoulders. She smiled at him and pushed him down on the bed. She changed her clothes and when she returned he was asleep. She shook her head before laying down beside him, snuggling into his warm side.

Nira woke the next morning with a killer headache. She groaned and reached into the bag with the firewhiskey in to. She found five vials in the bottom and pulled them out. she drank one of them and instantly felt better. She changed into a dress and danced out to find Éomer.

"How's the hangover?" he asked, grinning.

"What hangover?" she asked innocently.

She walked over to Gimli as he sat up and handed him a vial of hangover potion. He looked at the gray liquid, not doing anything.

"It'll help," Nira told him before turning back to Éomer. "Part of being a witch. Potions help a lot of things, including hangovers."

She swept away to find Haldir and Aragorn. Haldir was sitting outside against the wall of the castle. She stood in front of him, grinning. He looked at her and glared.

"I hate you," he growled.

"Fine," she replied, shortly. "I won't give you a potion to take away the hangover."

She turned to walk away, but he caught her hand.

"That's not very nice," he snapped irritably.

She laughed and handed him the vial which he drank without complaint. She found Aragorn in his room, looking even worse than Haldir and Gimli. She handed him the potion, and he drank it, not even asking what it was. He thanked her as it took effect. She went back to find Legolas still asleep. She sat down on the bed beside him and brushed his hair out of his face. When he woke she gave him the vial and sighed. She knew it would be a long day.

**So, a bit of fun there. I couldn't resist. Review and tell me what you think.**


	15. Chapter 15

Aragorn walked out of the castle at Edoras to see Legolas and Nira standing side-by-side looking out to the horizon.

"The stars are veiled," Nira said.

"Something stirs in the east," Legolas said. "A sleepless malice. The eye of the enemy is moving."

"He is here," Nira gasped.

They ran to where the rest of the group lay sleeping to find Pippin convulsing on the floor. Aragorn rushed forward, and took the palantír, falling to the floor in pain. Nira stepped toward him with a cloth and pulled it out of his hands. Gandalf asked Pippin a number of questions.

"He asked about Hermione," Pippin whispered.

"Did you tell him anything?" Nira hissed.

"I tried to tell him nothing, but he saw your face in my thoughts. He seemed interested in you."

Nira pulled him to his feet and helped him get dressed. She pulled him to the hall to await the king as he was summoned. She pushed him to sit down, while she stood with Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. Théoden entered with a few guards as par usual.

"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes," Gandalf told the king. "A fool, but an honest fool he remains. He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the Ring. We've been strangely fortunate. He saw in the palantír a glimpse of the enemy's plane. Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith. His defeat at Helm's Deep shows our enemy one thing. He knows that the heir of Elendil has come forth, but thankfully he remains ignorant of Nira, or she would figure into his plans. He knows that Men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still, strength enough perhaps to challenge him. Sauron fears this. He will not risk the peoples of Middle Earth uniting under one valor. He will raise Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees a king return to the throne of Men. If the Beacons of Gondor are lit, Rohan must be ready for war."

"Tell me," said the king. "Why should we ride to the aid of those who did not come to ours? What do we owe Gondor?"

"You did not call for aid!" Nira yelled. "How was Gondor to know that Rohan needed aid if they were not told? You hid in Helm's Deep and acted like it was your last stand, while you could have sent for help or lit your own beacon. You act as if Gondor deliberately abandoned you in battle. How can you be abandoned when you did not ask for their help to begin with?"

"Just because you tell us you are royalty, elf, does not give you the right to tell me how to run my land. Théoden is king Rohan, not Nira."

"Things are now in motion that cannot be undone," Gandalf said cryptically. "I ride for Minas Tirith, and I won't be going alone."

* * *

Nira and Legolas stood in the main hall in Edoras. They turned toward the door as their elven senses picked up running outside. The doors were thrown open as Aragorn ran in.

"The Beacons of Minas Tirith," he yelled, "the beacons are lit. Gondor calls for aid."

Nira and Legolas watched the king intently. Théoden looked at Nira before shouting orders that meant war. Nira, Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn hurried to their rooms to pack their belongings. They strapped their bags to the saddles of their horses, before leading them out to where the men were meeting.

Men pulled themselves up onto horses outside as Legolas, Nira, Gimli, and Aragorn readied to leave. Nira smiled at the men who gave her odd looks for dressing like a man. Aragorn saw Éowyn leading a horse.

"You ride with us?" he asked her curiously.

"Just to the encampment," she replied. "It's tradition for the woman of the court to farewell the men."

Nira rolled her eyes as Aragorn pulled up a blanket to reveal a sword, before riding away to join Legolas and Gimli.

"Horseman," Gimli grunted. "I wish I could muster a legion of dwarves fully armed and filthy."

"You kinsmen may have no need to fight a war," Legolas said. "I fear that war already marches on their own lands."

"Besides," Nira laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "One dwarf is bad enough."

Legolas smirked as Gimli grumbled to himself. Legolas rode to follow the king, but Nira was cut off. The soldiers rode in formation, keeping Nira from exiting the gates. Once they were all through, she broke free and ran her horse up the line to the head of the army.

After a long, hard ride, the army made it to the camp where they were to meet the others who would come. The Rohan army ran through the camp, led by Théoden, Aragorn, Nira, and Legolas.

Nira found a tent that wasn't being used and put her pack inside. She expanded the interior of the tent so she could stand easily. She smiled at her handiwork, before turning to see Legolas watching her with a smile, arms crossed. He stepped toward her, pulling her against him, kissing her lightly.

He took her hand and led her into the camp. Gimli joined them, after a while. They happened upon Éomer. The horses nearby pulled against their ties.

"The horses are restless and the men are quiet," Nira observed.

Éomer put his saddle down and said, "They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain. I am surprise a woman has made it so far on such a perilous journey."

"I guess I'm just full of surprises, now aren't I?" Nira sneered.

"That road there," Gimli said, looking down a narrow dark chasm in the mountain. "What is that?"

"It is the road to the Dimholt, the door of the mountain," Legolas said.

"None who ever venture there ever return," Éomer said. "That mountain is evil."

"What?" Nira smiled. "Is the big, bad knight scared of a little rock?"

"It isn't the rock that worries me. It's what lay within."

**A/N So some poking fun at some of the character. More fun with Éomer still ahead, including a strike to his male ego. Review, come on I want more that two, maybe five. Five is a good number. I'd love ten, but I don't think that will happen.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N another fun chapter. Enjoy.**

**The first scene, I extended from the movie for my own entertainment.**

Nira sat next to Éomer and some of the other soldiers around the fire. They talked quietly, ignoring Nira as they spoke of the coming battle. Éowyn and Merry walked out of the tent near them.

"To the smithy," Éowyn said, laughing slightly. "Go."

Merry hurried off to the blacksmith, Éowyn smiling at him as he went.

"You should not encourage him," Éomer reprimanded.

"You should not doubt him," Éowyn told her brother.

"I do not doubt his heart," Éomer laughed. "Only the reach of his arm."

The rest of the soldiers joined in and laughed. Éowyn glared at them.

"Why should Merry be left behind? He has just as much cause to go to war as you. Why can he not fight for those he loves?"

Éomer closed his eyes, before standing.

"Éowyn, you speak not just of him. Battle is no place for a woman. Women would not stand a chance against orcs."

"I did," Nira spat, standing.

"You are an archer. This battle with require swords."

"Shall we see who is better at using a sword, Éomer?"

Nira drew her sword and pointed it at Éomer. She stepped into the open area between the tents. Éomer drew his sword and grinned.

"This shouldn't take too long," he laughed. "Women cannot compete with men."

The soldiers in the area all laughed. Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn watched from off to one side, knowing Nira could stand her ground. The pair crossed blades, acknowledging each other.

"What will you do if I win?" Nira asked.

"That's a big if," Éomer replied.

He struck at her, and she blocked his attack. After ten minutes most of the men in the area were watching them. Nira smiled before attacking with more force. She spun around and struck his sword, sending it into the air. She caught the hilt before kicking Éomer's legs out from under him. He landed on his back, and she stabbed the blades into the ground, crossed over his neck. All the soldiers were silent as she knelt down beside him.

"Still think women can't fight like men?" she asked.

She stood and pulled her sword out of the ground. She looked around at the soldiers who looked at her in amazement. She moved over to where she had been sitting before. She removed her travel pouch and sat down, pulling out a cloth. She began to clean the blade of her sword. Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn walked out of the shadows. Aragorn and Gimli sat down around the fire, while Legolas took the spot directly beside Nira.

"What is she doing?" one of the soldiers asked.

"She cleans all her weapons before battle," Aragorn told him. "It keeps her mind off what is to come."

"That shouldn't take very long," Éomer snapped, bitter for being beaten by a woman.

"Really?" Nira asked.

She picked up her bag and turned it upside down. All the weapons fell out of it onto the ground. Her arsenal of weapons lay in firelight for Éomer to see, six swords, five quivers full of arrows, three bows including the one from Elrond, eleven long knives, and thirty-one daggers.

"Still think it won't take me long?" Nira asked laughing.

* * *

Aragorn readied his horse for his departure. He tied his sword to his saddle and led his horse toward the crevice.

"Just where do you think you're off to?" Gimli asked Aragorn as he passed.

"Not this time," Aragorn replied. "This time you must stay, Gimli."

Legolas walked up beside Aragorn with his horse. Aragorn turned to the elf.

"Have you learned nothing," Legolas said, "of the stubbornness of dwarves?"

"You might as well accept it," Gimli stated. "We're going with you, laddie."

"Very well," Aragorn said. "But Nira cannot."

"As if you have a choice, Ranger," Nira said.

All three turned to see her perched on Aragorn's saddle, grinning. She raised an eyebrow as she jumped down.

"You go without me. I'll follow. Have you learned nothing of the stubbornness of women?"

Aragorn sighed in defeat. Legolas and Gimli got on their horse, before Nira had returned with hers. They rode into the narrow road into the morning.

"What kind of army would linger in such a place?" Gimli asked.

"One that is cursed," Legolas told him. "Long ago the men of the mountain swore an oath to the last king of Gondor to come to his aid to fight but when the time came when Gondor's need was dire they fled, vanishing into the darkness of the mountain, and so Isildur cursed them never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge."

They found a doorway surrounded by skulls. Above the doorway, there was an old writing.

"The way is shut," Nira read. "It was made by those who are dead. And the dead keep it. The way is shut."

A sharp wind blew passed them, and the horses ran in fear.

"I do not fear death," Aragorn hissed.

"Nor I," Nira agreed.

Aragorn enters, slowly. Nira followed close behind him. Legolas and Gimli ran after them.

**A/N oooooooo the beginning of the end. I hope you liked it. Review, tell me what you thought.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry, this took so long. I uploaded it to the sight and forgot to add it to the story.**

Aragorn, Nira, Legolas, and Gimli ran through a tunnel, but slowed as they heard whispers. Misty hands reached toward them as they walked by. Aragorn and Legolas swatted or avoided them; Gimli blew at them, while Nira ignored them completely.

"Do not look down," Aragorn whispered.

Gimli looked down to see skulls. He jumped as a voice echoed through the air.

"Who enters my domain?" a ghastly voice growled.

"One who will have you allegiance," Aragorn replied to the disembodied voice.

A figure appeared. He was semi-transparent with a green glow. He wore royal robes and a crown, and the flesh on his face was rotting off.

"The dead do not suffer the living to pass," he snapped.

"You will suffer me," Aragorn growled.

The ghost king laughed, which was followed by a rumble of others. Aragorn, Nira, Legolas, and Gimli turned to see the rest of the city filled with ghosts. The other ghosts floated toward them, surrounding them.

"The way is shut," the ghost king recited. "It was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it. The way is shut. Now, you must die."

"I summon you to fulfill you oath," Aragorn shouted, sounding more and more like a king and less of a ranger.

"None but the king of Gondor may command me."

Aragorn pulled his sword up in front of him, adjusting his grip. The ghost king drew his sword and charged at Aragorn. Aragorn stopped the king's blade and grabbed the king by the neck, putting the sword at the king's neck.

"That blade was broken," the king said in disbelief.

"It had been remade," Aragorn corrected.

Aragorn pushed the ghost king away and said, "Fight for us and regain your honor. What say you? What say you?"

"Ahh," Gimli growled. "You waste your time, Aragorn. They have no honor in life. They have none now in death."

"I am Isildur's heir," Aragorn told the ghosts. "Fight for me, and I will hold your oaths fulfilled. What say you?

The ghosts began to disappear as the king laughed darkly.

"You have my word. Fight and I will release you from this living death. What say you?"

"Stand you traitors!" Gimli yelled.

The ground began to shake, and they turned toward the castle. The rocks began to break, releasing a flood of skulls. They all ran toward the exit and broke into the sunlight. They saw the ships of the pirates in the river, and Aragorn fell to his knees. They turned to see the ghosts appear behind them.

"We fight," the king told Aragorn.

* * *

Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and Nira stood on the banks of the river as the ships passed.

"You may go no further," Aragorn said. "You will not enter Gondor."

The pirates laughed at them as the lead ship's captain stood.

"Who are you to deny us passage?" the captain asked.

"Legolas," Aragorn said quietly. "Fire a warning shot warning shot passed him ear."

Legolas drew an arrow and took aim.

"Mind your aim," Gimli muttered, before hitting the bow.

Legolas shot a crew member, who fell to the deck, dead. The pirates stopped laughing.

"That's it," Gimli called. "We warned you. Prepare to be boarded."

"Boarded?" the captain said. "By you and whose army?"

"This army," Aragorn muttered.

The ghosts charged out of the stone. They floated across the water to the ships, killing anyone on board. Aragorn, Nira, Gimli, and Legolas boarded the lead ship and sailed to the harbor by Minas Tirith.

Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and Nira jumped off the pirate's ship when the orcs yelled for the pirates. Seeing two elves, a dwarf, and a Man in front of them surprised the orcs. They walked forward slowly.

"There are plenty for the three of us," Gimli growled. "May the best dwarf win."

"You wish, Gimli," Nira laughed.

They started fighting as the ghosts followed them out of the ships. Legolas attack one of the Mûmakil, while Nira found a second. Nira and Legolas killed both Mûmakil at the same time. After the ghosts had finished off the enemy army, they stood before Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Nira.

"Release us," the ghost king demanded.

"Bad idea," Gimli told him. "Very handy in a tight spot, these lads, despite the fact they're dead."

"No, Gimli," Nira snapped quietly.

"You gave us your word," the ghost king said.

"I hold your oaths fulfilled," Aragorn told him. "Go. Be at peace."

The ghosts vanish in a swirl of green vapor. Legolas, Nira, and Gimli rounded on each other.

"Seventy-three," Gimli and Legolas said at the same time.

"Ninety-one," Nira told them.

She began walking toward the white city with Aragorn. Legolas ran up beside Nira and took her hand. Gimli followed after them. Nira stopped as she hard a devastated cry of anguish. She turned to see Éomer kneeling over a body, crying. She saw long blond hair blow around the soldier's head and ran over to Éomer and the soldier. As she approached, Nira saw Éomer holding Éowyn in his arms. Nira touched the woman's neck and felt a faint pulse.

"She's alive," Nira told Éomer. "Injured but alive. We have to get her inside."

She took a horse from one of the soldiers and got on. Éomer lifted his sister onto the saddle in front of Nira, reluctantly.

"Find anyone else who's injured," Nira ordered. "No matter how fatal the wound, bring them to me."

She turned and rode to the white city with Éowyn.

**A/N I know I don't do the battle justice, but I only told it from Nira's POV. Review, I only got one review on last chapter. Come on, people.**


	18. Chapter 18

Once Nira arrived at the main hall with Éowyn, she yelled at a guard to take Éowyn while she found someplace to treat the injured. Éowyn was placed on a cot, still unconscious. Nira looked her over as Éomer sat next to his sister. Nira muttered a spell, and the chainmail broke apart.

She picked up Éowyn's left arm and felt the breaks in it, muttering, "These will be easy to fix." She turned her attention to the woman's right arm. There were dark lines stretching over most of the forearm. Nira shook her head in defeat.

"That's dark magic," she told Éomer. "It will have to heal on its own. I can do nothing."

"Can you do nothing for her left arm?" Éomer asked, worried.

"I would prefer not to while you are here. It doesn't sound helpful."

"I will stay with my sister."

"Very well. _Episky_."

Éowyn's arm cracked loudly many times, making Éomer flinch. Éowyn screamed in pain, becoming conscious. She swore under her breath, getting an odd look from her brother.

"What?" Éowyn hissed at him. "I learned it from you."

"At least you are awake, now," Nira said.

She felt Éowyn's arm, making sure all the breaks were healed. She stood, leaving the sister and brother to heal others in need of her help. She would check in on Éowyn often to see if she needed anything. Éowyn was moved to her chambers with bandages around her right arm.

* * *

Éomer, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Nira, and Gandalf were in the main hall in Minas Tirith. Aragorn sat on the throne, Gimli beside it. Nira stood between Legolas and Éomer.

"Frodo has passed beyond my sight," Gandalf told them. "The darkness is deepening."

"If Sauron had the ring," Nira hissed. "We'd know it."

"It's hardly a matter of time. He suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor our enemy is regrouping."

"Let him stay there," Gimli snapped, smoking his pipe. "Let him root. Why should we care?"

"Because ten thousand orcs now stand between Frodo and Mt. Doom. I've sent him to his death."

"No," Aragorn told them. "There's still hope for Frodo. He needs time and safe passage across the plains. We can give him that."

"How?" Gimli growled, smoke puffing out with his breath.

"Draw out Sauron's armies. Empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the black gate."

"We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms," Éomer snapped.

"Not for ourselves, but we can give Frodo his chance, if we keep Sauron's eye fixed on us, keep him blind to all else that moves."

"A diversion," Legolas and Nira said together.

"Sauron will expect a trap he will not take the bait," Gandalf whispered to him.

"Where is your faith, Gandalf?" Nira snapped, stepping toward him, furious. "Where is the Albus Dumbledore I knew? The only one Voldemort ever feared? Where is he? Because you are _not _him. He never gave into fear. He believed those he sent on missions would succeed. Or did you not have faith in Harry, Ron, and me? Did you send us thinking we might die, knowing we probably would? Not that you'd care what happened to us. You went and faked your death."

"Do not question me. I don't need to answer to you."

"You are not Albus Dumbledore. The real Albus Dumbledore died when you faked your death."

"Then do what you see fit."

"Certainty of death," Gimli said. "Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?"

They gathered the army and went out to battle. The army marched on the Black Gate. Nira, Legolas, Aragorn, Gimli, Gandalf, Éomer, Merry, and Pippin rode up to the gate, leaving the army in formation behind them.

"May the lord of the black land come forth and justice be done upon him," Aragorn yelled.

The gates opened slowly revealing a single rider. The rider, a messenger from Sauron, stopped in front of their small party.

"My master, Sauron the Great, bids thee welcome," the messenger said. "Is there any in this rod with authority to treat with me."

"We do not come to treat with Sauron faithless and accursed," Gandalf snapped. "Tell your master this. The armies of Mordor are to disband. He is to depart these lands, never to return."

"Old Greybeard?" the messenger sneered. "I have a token I was bidden to show thee."

He pulled out a white shirt made of mithril. He threw it at Gandalf, who caught it. The group looked at each other in disbelief.

"The halfling was dear to thee I see, know that he suffered greatly at the hands of his host. Who would have thought one so small could endure so much pain?"

"It does not surprise me," Nira said riding forward toward the messenger, circling him. "He is very strong. Though, if you had Frodo, and he was dead, you would have a different token."

"Who are you, woman?"

"Are you directly connected to Sauron? Or is he waiting on your report?"

"He hears you even now and speaks through me."

"Then, I speak to Sauron. You do not fear Isildor's heir. But you will fear me. I am the heir of Rowena Ravenclaw," Nira told him, drawing her sword.

"Impossible," he growled, before she cut off the messenger's head.

She turned her horse to face the Eye. She raised her sword, as the horse reared, and turned away, riding toward the army. The rest of the group joined her.

"He's not dead," Nira told them as they rode up next to her. "If there's anything I learned from the last war I was in, Sauron wouldn't wave a mithril shirt at us if he had Frodo. He would have brought out Frodo's body, had he killed him. He would not give up the chance to flaunt a victory like that in our faces. They either don't have Frodo, or they had him, and he escaped."

The gates opened, and an army of orcs marched out. Aragorn rode in from of the army of Men.

"Hold your ground, sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers," Aragorn yelled. "I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down, but it is not this day. This day we fight by all that you hold dear on this good earth. I bid you stand, Men of the West."

He drew his sword, followed by every soldier. Nira dismounted her horse to stand with the men. She stood between Legolas and Gimli.

"Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with one elf, let alone two," Gimli muttered.

"What about side by side with two friends?" Nira asked.

"Aye, I could do that."

Legolas pulled Nira in to kiss her quickly and whispered, "See you in our next life."

"I look forward to it."

"For Frodo," Aragorn said.

They charged at the orcs, led by Aragorn and Nira.

**A/N oooooo cliffy mwhahahaha (cough) so tell what you think, more review = faster updates**


	19. Chapter 19

**Whoo, 100 reviews. I love my reviews. You make me want to update.**

The army of Men was trapped in a circle as a screech sounded on the wind. The giant eagles dove into the fray. Nira slashed through orcs, killing as many as possible. Éomer was knocked to the ground, losing his sword. Nira shot the orc standing over him before running over to him. She pulled a sword out of her bag and handed it to him.

"Thanks," he said, before she disappeared into the fighting again.

Nira found Gimli and Legolas and fought to get close to them. Nira and Legolas looked toward Aragorn as a troll lumbered toward him. The ugly creature knocked Aragorn to the ground and stepped on him. Aragorn pulled out his long knife and stabbed it in the foot.

"Avada Kadavra!" Nira yelled, aiming at the troll.

The spell hit the creature, sending it backwards. Nira turned to look at the Eye. It looked shocked before it began to flicker. The orcs turned toward the Eye before running away. The tower that held the Eye began to collapse. Nira smiled in relief as Sauron was finally destroyed.

"Frodo!" Merry yelled in triumph, echoed by the rest of those around him.

The ground shock as the volcano began to be destroyed. Aragorn, Gimli, Gandalf, Legolas, and many others watched in horror as the molten rock flowed down the side of the dying mountain. Nira ran forward, pulling Legolas with her. She threw up her hand and was grabbed by an eagle. The eagle put them on a second's back, and they flew toward the mountain.

"Frodo is dead, Nira," Legolas stated bluntly.

"No," she snapped in reply. "I don't know why, but I know he isn't dead. Help me look for him."

"You are going to be disappointed."

Legolas tried to look for Nira's sake, but didn't believe they would find anything. Nira scanned the rocks, combing over every surface for signs of life.

"Look," she exclaimed, pointing at a large bolder jutting out from the side of the mountain. "There they are!"

Legolas followed her hand to where she was pointing. He saw two hobbits lying motionless on the stone. The eagles swooped down and picked them up in their talons, before flying away from the mountain.

"Take us to Rivendell," Nira told the eagles. "And tell the rest that we are."

An eagle split off from the flock and soared down. He landed in front of Gandalf, bowing his head.

"A message from Lady Nira," the eagle said. "They are going to Rivendell. The hobbits are alive, for now. Lady Nira cannot assess their situation, until they get to Rivendell."

The eagle looked around at the men who were staring in amazement. He shook his head, ruffling his feathers in annoyance.

"Did you think we were stupid?" he asked the men. "Many creatures can talk. We just follow our Lady's orders."

With that, he took off, flying to catch up with the flock of eagles with Nira, Legolas, and the hobbits. When they arrived in Rivendell, Nira and Legolas jumped off the eagle's back and ran to find Elrond. Upon finding him, they took Sam and Frodo to rooms where they could be tended to. Nira healed Sam, with Legolas hovering around her, while Elrond saw to Frodo. The eagles arrived back to Rivendell with Gandalf, Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Haldir, and Gimli the next day.

Nira spent the next few days tending to everyone's injuries. After everyone was healed, she spent much of her time with Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. She would check in on Frodo often. Gandalf barely left the hobbits bedside.

When Frodo awoke, Merry and Pippin were too impatient and ran in to see him. Gimli went in behind them, then Legolas and Aragorn. Nira helped Sam into Frodo's room and backed away from the reunion.

"Hermione!" Frodo called finally seeing her, after talking to everyone else.

The hobbits all looked at her, but she didn't meet their eyes. She looked at Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli for support. They all smiled at her and nodded.

"I'm sorry," she told the hobbits. "I didn't tell you the truth. Since we were in Lorien, I have not been Hermione. I discovered that I was the last living descendant in a royal line of elves. I didn't tell you, because I didn't know how your minds would stand up against Sauron were you captured. I wasn't sure how you'd fare under torture either. I told Gimli, Aragorn, and Legolas because I had to."

"Why did you have to?" Sam asked.

"Gimli was there when I figured out that I wasn't dreaming. Aragorn knew of some of what a spoke. Legolas, I knew in my past life. Honestly, more than knew. We picked up where we left off before I was killed."

Legolas moved over to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. He kissed her cheek lightly, making her blush. Haldir walked into Frodo's room, keeping his distance.

"How were you killed?" Frodo asked.

"I was saving a friend who had been shot. I was healing him, when I was attacked and killed."

"Who was it?"

"That is irrelevant unless he decides to tell you. It doesn't effect that I did it."

"It was me," Haldir said quietly.

They all began to tell of what had happened to them since they had all parted ways. A week went by and Frodo little by little began to regain his strength. Gandalf had returned the Minas Tirith to oversee the preparations for Aragorn's coronation. They saddled up their horses to depart Rivendell for Minas Tirith, somewhat reluctantly.

**Well, we're getting to the end, but there will still be some more fun in the coming chapters. The next couple are in rewriting phase, so they should be up soon, sooner, with reviews.**


	20. Chapter 20

The group: Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gimli, Aragorn, Nira, Legolas, Haldir, and three other elves, acting as Nira's guard set out for the white city. After two days, they were making good time on their journey. Without warning, their horses became uneasy and would go no further. They all seemed to back away from a central point, but none of the riders could see what triggered the fear.

"I've been here before," Nira said quietly.

"It's a forest," one of her guard commented. "They all feel like that."

"No, I really have been here before. This place doesn't bring back the pleasantest of memories."

They heard the pounding of hooves and shouting of men drawing near, and then running passed them far inside the line of trees. Nira finally saw what had frightened the horses. She slid off her horse and walked over to Pippin's saddlebags, pulling out a piece of salted pork.

"Hey," Pippin complained. "That's mine."

Nira ignored him and stepped toward the trees. The group behind her shifted uneasily as a creature none had ever seen stepped into the clearing. It was a skeletal creature with black leathery skin and wings. It had beady black eyes and a sort of beak.

"Stay away from it, Nira," Haldir warned.

She ignored him and stepped closer to it slowly. It caught her eye, looking apprehensive. She held out the salted pork in her hand, whispering to the creature.

"It's a horse," Gimli snapped. "It won't eat meat."

No sooner had he spoken, and the creature took the food offered to it. Nira stroked the beast's head, whispering softly to it.

"It's called a thestral," she told them absently. "You can only see them if you've seen death. It appears we found our way back to my world. This could be a problem."

"Why is that?" Frodo asked.

"I don't exactly know how to get back."

"How did you come to Middle Earth in the first place?" Merry asked.

"I fell, very Alice in Wonderland if I do say so."

The rest of her group looked at each other, trying to figure out what Nira meant by 'very Alice in Wonderland.' While she stroked the thestral, it spread its wings and jumped into the air. She smiled as the creature flew away.

"If what Gandalf told me is true," Nira said out loud, but thinking to herself, "time in Middle Earth passes five times as fast as it does here. It's been roughly fifteen months since I left here, in Middle Earth time. So it has only been three months here. Three months since the end of term would mean it's about time for school to start."

She pulled herself back into her saddle and turned her horse in circles. She saw a severed rope tied to a tree nearby and smiled. She looked through the trees and urged her horse to start walking.

"This way," she told them. "I know someone who can help us."

They set off, their horses trotting through the trees. They found the edge of the forest and looked out over the sloping lawn. The sun was high in the sky, and they saw groups of kids lounging around. Nira looked out and saw some people she knew.

"Don't expect to be liked or believed," she told them. "Let me do the talking. Don't do anything stupid. Don't provoke them. Don't say anything to anyone unless I tell you. My world just ended a war. There will be hard feelings toward any newcomer. Their war was very different than yours, so don't assume anything. And keep the swords and arrows to a minimum. When they see you, they will most likely laugh. Don't let on to who I am. I don't know if I'm ready for my world to know about me yet."

She led them out of the line of trees, the rest of them following closely. They caught the attention of a few students, then more. She heard them whisper and laugh at her group. She also heard snide comments about the hobbits.

"The Muggles must really be interested in the ruins they see," a Ravenclaw said to her friend. "That _is_ all they see. They can't even see us."

Nira turned and looked directly at the girl, who gasped.

"I think they can see us," she hissed to her friend. "Expecto Patronum. Go tell Professor Potter that there are intruders that may be able to see us."

The silver fox that fell out of the tip of her wand shot off. Nira saw Aragorn rest his hand of the hilt of his sword. She shot him a warning look, and he stopped. Before they could go any further, teachers hurried out of the castle, wands drawn.

She smiled slightly, seeing Harry in the lead. Nira got off her horse and stood in front of the group as Harry stopped a few feet away from her.

"Who are you?" he asked harshly. "Why are you here? How did you get passed the wards?"

Nira just looked at him smiling before saying, "We are travelers from a distant land. Our business is our own. We wish to speak to whoever rules this castle."

"You will," Harry replied shortly.

Nira turned back to her companions. Harry seized her arm roughly, stopping her. She glared at him, as the elves notched arrows, Aragorn drew his sword, and Gimli shifted his ax.

"**Stand down**," Nira snapped at them.

They followed her orders, hesitantly. She tried to pull away from Harry, but his grip tightened. He pulled her away from her group, making her stumble. She regained her footing easily, being an elf, and drew a dagger from her belt. She pressed it against Harry's neck, his eyes wide.

"Touch me like that again, Harry James Potter," she growled, "and you will lose your hand."

"Hermione?" he whispered, dropping her arm.


	21. Chapter 21

"_Touch me like that again, Harry James Potter," she growled, "and you will lose your hand."_

"_Hermione?" he whispered, dropping her arm._

"What happened to you?" Harry asked

"That is none of your concern," Nira snapped in reply.

"You're my friend. Of course it's my concern."

"You are no friend of mine, not anymore. I didn't know real friendship until I left. A true friend tries to keep you out of a war even when you insist otherwise. Friends try to keep you safe. Friends are people you fight for not causes you fight for. Friends feel horrible when they make you cry and are the reason you laugh, even when it seems impossible."

Harry looked at Nira in disbelief. He had never seen this side of her before, and it had surprised him. Nira glared at him before seeing Minerva McGonagall walking down the steps of the castle. The headmistress stopped beside Harry and smiled at Nira.

"**You know, now**," she stated. "**Am I to assume the Ring of power has been destroyed**?"

"**A brave hobbit threw the Ring into Mt. Doom**," Nira replied. "**The war has ended. Sauron is gone, and a king is to be crowned**."

"**Isildur's heir has come forward**?"

"Aragorn," Nira said, nodding to him.

"**We can speak more inside. I want to hear about everything**."

"**We need to get back. Gandalf is expecting us in the White City**."

"**If I am not mistaken, Gandalf probably already knows and has taken this into account. The portal into Middle Earth will not open again for a month. I shall have the house elves make up rooms for your company for that amount of time.**"

Nira nodded and took her horses reins, leading it after the headmistress. She looked at the rest of her group, nodding that it was safe, and they all dismounted. She threw a glance around them at the students who were watching them intently. A group of house elves were waiting at the front doors with McGonagall.

"They will see to your horses on a day to day basis. They will be kept in the paddock by Hagrid's hut. All your belongings will be taken to your rooms that are being readied as we speak."

Nira handed her horse's reins to one of the house elves with a smile. The elf bowed to her before leading the horse away. Nira and her group followed the headmistress to her office. There were enough chairs in the office for everyone to sit.

"Welcome back to our world, Miss Granger," Dumbledore's portrait said from over the door.

Her group spun around, trying to figure out who had spoken. Upon seeing no one, they looked around warily. Nira laughed at their faces before pointing to the picture overhead. They looked where she pointed and jumped backward when they say Dumbledore move.

"Gandalf?" Aragorn asked.

"I was, am, and always will be Gandalf, but in this picture I am known as Albus Dumbledore," the portrait replied.

Nira turned to the portrait over the desk and smirked.

"You knew, didn't you?" she asked the painting of Severus Snape.

"What did I know?" he asked in reply.

"About everything, Dumbledore being Gandalf, Middle Earth, me."

"You didn't think someone as important as you would have only one protector. Dumbledore, Minerva, and I were all charged with protecting you until the time came for your return to Middle Earth. I was the only one who was actually a part of this world."

"So," McGonagall said, "What happened to you in the past three months?"

Nira sat down, as did the rest of her group, and launched into the story, starting when she awoke in Rivendell. She let the hobbits explain what happened to them after they were separated. Minerva could only smile as they told of what had occurred.

"The time of the elves has ended," she said more to herself than her guests. "They will be leaving Middle Earth for the Undying Lands. I would like to return to Middle Earth with you when you go. My time here is ending. I wish to go into the West with my kin."

"You are an elf?" Gimli asked.

"My appearance is merely a spell. When I prepare to go back to Middle Earth, the spell will break, and I will be seen as I am. Now, if you will follow me, I will show you to your rooms."

They followed her to the west tower, near the Ravenclaw common room. She opened the door and led them inside. The central room was large and had several chairs around the fireplace. There were four main doors branching off the main room. Two led to single rooms for Aragorn and Gimli. One led to a second room with four more doors beyond, for the hobbits. The final door led to a long hallway with doors on either side for the elves.

"The door to these rooms," Minerva told them, "can only be found by someone from Middle Earth. None other than us can enter here. You can either come down to the Great Hall for meals or you may stay here. Feel free to explore and use the library. You will always be able to find your way back to this room, no matter where you are in the castle. I would not advise going into the forest. Lady Nira can tell you what is in there is you must know. I will have clothes from this world brought to you. If you have any questions, Nira will know the answer to most of them."

They all turned to Nira to start asking questions, but stopped as she walked over to the window. She touched the glass, looking out over the mountains. She was glad to be back, but at the same time, didn't feel like she belonged. She turned and found her room, so she could change. Legolas trailed right behind her.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, worried.

"I just feel odd being back here," she replied quietly.

She turned toward him, and he smiled at her. He placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face to look at him. She stepped into him and pressed her lips to his. He ran his hands down her back, resting them on her hips, pulling her tightly against him. She stepped away from him, smiling at him. She picked up the set of clothes that were hers, and turned away from him. He picked up the clothes left for him and felt the denim jeans.

When Nira had finished changing, she turned to see Legolas still fascinated by the material. She chuckled at him, and he looked at her. His eyes swept over her quickly taking in the clothes. She wore dark jeans that rode low on her hips and a tight fitting red blouse. He turned away from her to change his clothes.

Nira looked him over when he was changed. He wore jeans that were a lighter shade than hers that hung loosely at his waist. He also wore a black t-shirt that clung to his frame, emphasizing him muscled chest. He pulled her into him, her back against his chest. He smiled into her hair as they stood in front of a mirror.

"I think I like this world," he whispered into her ear.

"And why is that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

He gave her a mischievous smile, before slipping his hands under the hem of her shirt. She squeaked in surprise, but didn't say anything. He spread out his fingers, covering most of her abdomen. She turned around in his arms, his hands brushing to her back. She kissed him gently, as she slid her hands under the back of his shirt, leaning into his chest.

**A/N Okay more for my awesome readers, please review.**


	22. Chapter 22

Nira and Legolas rejoined their group in the main room. Most had changed already, finding the clothes rather odd. Nira told them not to carry swords and arrows around with them, but the front pockets of their jeans had been expanded for a knife. Nira wanted to go to dinner in the Great Hall, so Legolas and Haldir accompanied her, while the rest stayed behind.

She told them about different parts of the castle as they passed, laughing at memories each place triggered. She led them into the Great Hall, with many of the students seated at their house tables. The students fell silent as the three of them walked in. Whispers rippled through the crowd, while all eyes were on them.

They walked down the center isle between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables to sit at the end of the staff table. Legolas and Haldir were fascinated with the ceiling and food before them. After dinner had ended, Nira told Haldir and Legolas to go back to their rooms, while she found some friends. They did so, hesitantly. Instead of finding friends, she walked out into the darkened garden.

"The Mudblood walks around at night alone and unprotected," a sneering voice said from the shadows.

Nira turned to see a Slytherin whose name escaped her. She remembered he was a year behind her, making him a seventh year, and a disciple of Malfoy's. He stepped toward her, glaring at her. She held her head high and defiant as he circled her, like a predator to its prey.

He grabbed at her neck, but she leaned out of his reach. His hand caught raven pendant around her neck and pulled on it, breaking the chain. He stepped toward her, throwing her necklace into the darkness. She pulled her knife out of her pocket, but he didn't back off. She flicked her wrist, sending him flying into the door. She threw her dagger at him, and it sank into the wood of the door just above his left ear.

"You have really good aim," he said as she stalked toward him.

She grabbed the handle of the knife and pulled it sharply out of the wood, hissing, "I missed."

The Slytherin boy whimpered and scurried inside. Nira turned to the gardens again, sliding her knife back into her pocket, and began looking for her necklace. She couldn't summon it, because it was made of mithril. She had been looking for ten minutes, about to give up until morning.

"Looking for this?" she heard Ron's voice asked.

She turned to see him holding her necklace in his hand, smiling at her.

"Yes," she replied, returning his smile.

"Why didn't you just summon it?"

"The metal is magic resistant. It's very valuable. It means many things."

Ron looked at the twisted metal in his palm and asked, "What does it mean?"

"It symbolizes my heart. I give it to he whom I wish to give my heart."

"I cannot accept this," Ron whispered to her.

"Good," she said bitterly, taking the necklace from him and putting it around her neck. "It doesn't belong to you."

"What?" Ron hissed in anger. "No, you belong to me."

"I see," Nira snapped, viciously. "You aren't like Aragorn. You were just being chivalrous. You want my heart more than anything in the world, and you can't have it."

"Who's Aragorn? The one it belongs to?"

"No, Aragorn turned down Arwen's heart, because he knew what she would be giving up for him. If you knew, you would not be like him."

She turned away from him, walking toward the door to the castle. Ron grabbed her arm and threw her into the stone wall in the dark shadows of the gardens. He held her wrists in one hand and kissed her harshly. She tried to push him off of her, but she couldn't move him. He slid his free hand under her shirt to cup her breast. She whimpered and closed her eyes, wanting it to end. She wanted someone to see what was happening.

Ron's touch left her suddenly, and she fell forward. Strong, warm arms caught her before she hit the ground. She opened her eyes to see Legolas looking down at her. She looked around to see Aragorn and Haldir holding Ron against the side of the castle with Gimli holding a knife at Ron's chest.

"Let him go," she told them, before standing.

"Touch her again, and you'll have us to answer to," Gimli growled at Ron, before putting the knife away.

The five of them walked back to their rooms for the night. Nira looked out the window in her and Legolas' room. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Are you alright, Nira?" he whispered.

"I don't know," she replied. "He never acted like he cared much about me in school. Now, he acts like he's always been in love with me, and I should have known."

She shuddered, remembering what he had done to her in the gardens.

"I still feel his touch on me. I keep thinking about what could have happened if you hadn't shown up. I would have given up and left you alone again."

She rubbed her wrists as if trying to wash dirt off them. Legolas stepped around her and grabbed her hands, lifting her wrists to kiss them lightly. She pulled her arms away from him.

"Close your eyes," she whispered to him.

When he did, she unclasped her necklace and put it in his hand, closing his fingers around it. He opened his eyes and looked at the jewelry in him palm. He looked at her and smiled.

"**It has always belonged to you, Legolas**," she told him, picking up the pendent and putting it around his neck.

Her hands stayed where they were, around the back of his neck, pulling him in to kiss her. He ran his tongue against her lips, which parted allowing him to deepen the kiss. He slid his hand under her shirt and trailed his fingers over the path Ron's had taken erasing any lasting feeling of his touch. Nira leaned into his hand, making him smile.

Nira backed up, pulling Legolas with her. She fell onto the bed, with him on top of her, still kissing deeply. He pulled her shirt over her head, braking contact for a long second. She did the same to him, running her hands over his chest and back.

Legolas pulled away from her, raising an eyebrow at her bra, not knowing what it was. She laughed at his face and sat up, turning her back to him. He fumbled with the clasp, earning more laughs from Nira. She gasped as she felt the cold blade of his knife against her skin. He cut through the annoying article of clothing easily and pushed it off her arms.

He trailed his lips lightly down her spine, placing feathery kisses every few inches. Nira shivered as his warm breath spread over her skin and savoring the sensation. He pulled her to lie back on the bed, wrapping his arms around her.


	23. Chapter 23

The next morning, Nira awoke with the sun streaming through the window. Legolas was already awake, waiting on her to get up. He kissed her forehead before pulling away from her. He pulled on a shirt and threw her another. She ignored it and walked into the bathroom. She turned on the shower and stripped her jeans off before getting in.

She washed her hair and rinsed the shampoo out, closing her eyes. She was about to open her eyes, when someone was kissing her. She opened her eyes to see Legolas grinning at her. She turned away from him quickly.

"Legolas," she hissed at him. "We aren't married, yet. We can't be seeing each other like this."

"Nira," he growled into her neck, making her heart skip a beat. "We already were married."

"No, you were married to me, but I am not married to you."

"Why don't we get married today? Everyone we want to be here is here."

"Elrond and Galadriel."

"They'll understand. You have your friends here that can't be there if we get married in Middle Earth."

"Why do you have to be so damn logical?"

"Because I'm in love with Lady Ravenclaw."

"What about your family?"

"They've already seen me marry you. Besides, they might have left for the Undying Lands."

"Can't you give me something that could be plausible to _not_ get married here?"

"Gandalf isn't here," he offered.

"Yes," she replied in triumph, "Gandalf isn't here."

"But his portrait is."

"Damn it. Is there any way to get out of having the wedding today?"

"No, Nira. The war is over. Why should we wait any longer? I love you. You love me. You gave me your heart."

"Fine. We'll go talk to Minerva when I'm done in the shower. Now, get out."

She shoved him backwards. He kissed her neck before following her orders. She finished up and got out, drying herself off. She walked back into their room and got dressed. Nira, Legolas, and Haldir walked toward the Headmaster's office. Nira stopped abruptly before turning the other direction, Legolas and Haldir following after her.

She started up a staircase that led high into Ravenclaw Tower, running passed pictures that looked less like those from the rest of the school. They reach the top of the staircase, finding an empty landing. Any other student would have gone back down the stairs but Nira looked at the painting on one wall.

"That's Rivendell," Legolas whispered beside her. "A much older Rivendell, at least five hundred years ago, because the gazebo isn't in the painting."

"There are elvish runes on the frame," Haldir observed.

"Wit beyond measure is Man's greatest treasure," Nira read. "If thou has wisdom, then speak clear, if you wish to enter here. Brains is what you prize, heir of founder wise. If you were to see Lady Ravenclaw, what would thee her call."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Haldir asked.

"It was once thought that every founder hid a chamber in the castle that only their true heir could open. The Chamber of Secrets was Slytherin's. It was thought that Gryffindor's would be The Hall of Courage or Bravery, Hufflepuff's was never guessed, but Ravenclaw's was said to be The Chamber of Wisdom or The Chamber of Knowledge. People have tried to find hers the hardest, to know all Ravenclaw knew would be a great discovery."

"So what does the inscription mean?"

"We need the password to enter. 'Wit beyond measure is Man's greatest treasure' was one of Ravenclaw's beliefs. 'If thou has wisdom, then speak clear, if you wish to enter here.' That probably means that wisdom is needed to know the password, because that is what she prized. What would we call her is we saw her?"

"Lady Ravenclaw?" Legolas offered.

"My Lady?" Haldir continued.

"No, those would be too obvious," Nira replied, pacing. "It would have to be something the heir would understand."

After three hours they were still at the painting, trying to get the password figured out. Nira was still pacing while Haldir and Legolas were sitting on the floor.

"I'm so stupid," Nira snapped suddenly, making the pair jump.

"You figured it out?" Haldir asked.

"Yes, why I didn't see it before I don't know," Nira replied. "It says, 'Brains is what you prize, heir of founder wise.' That could refer to any heir, including the Grey Lady."

"How does that help us?"

"It's written in elvish. Only someone from Middle Earth would have understood it."

"So, we need her title in elvish?" Legolas asked.

"No," Nira replied laughing. "When she left Middle Earth, she only had one heir. What would that heir call her? **Naneth**."

The painting moved forward to reveal a large chamber beyond. The trio walked in, closing the portrait behind them.


	24. Chapter 24

Legolas, Haldir, and Nira looked around the chamber seeing thousands of books. There were large paintings displayed on easels around the room, which was filled with exquisite armchairs and sofas with tables of all types of wood. There was no dust to be found in the space.

There was a soft pop and a house elf stood before them in the center of the room.

"Hello, sirs and lady," the house elf squeaked, bowing low.

She wore a blue and gold dress and had large blue eyes.

"Are sirs and lady here to see Missie's mistress?" the house elf asked. "Mistress has not had visitors before."

"Did she give you clothes?" Nira asked.

"Yes, Mistress gives Missie clothes. Clothes is Missie's uniform. Missie loveses working for Mistress."

"So, you are free."

"Oh, yes, miss. Missie serveses Mistress freely. Mistress will be her soon. Missie must get tea for Mistress. Would sirs and lady like some tea?"

"Yes, thank you."

Missie vanished with a quiet pop. Nira, Haldir, and Legolas began to look around the chamber, curiously. Nira pulled a few books from the shelf, flipping through them. Haldir saw books from Middle Earth in the languages of elves, dwarves, and men. Legolas looked at the paintings finding some were of Middle Earth, while others he didn't recognize.

Missie appeared again with a tray of lemon, cream, and sugar, and put it on one of the tables within a circle of chairs. She poured the tea into the four cups and added some cream and sugar to one, before vanishing.

"Who are you?" a woman asked.

Nira, Legolas, and Haldir spun toward the voice to see a dark haired woman stepping into the room from a staircase none of them had seen. She was in a dress similar to Missie's. She had sharp features and pointed ears.

"Who are you?" the woman asked again. "What are you doing here?"

"**Naneth**?" Nira whispered in disbelief.

The woman turned toward Nira, and her face changed from impassive to happy. She stepped across the room and hugged Nira tightly.

"My beautiful daughter," she whispered. "What has happened since I left Middle Earth?"

Nira looked away, not wanting to say anything.

"First," Nira said, "these are Legolas and Haldir."

"Yes, I remember them," Rowena replied. "You were almost inseparable."

They all sat down and began to drink their tea.

"Are you going to tell me what has happened, or are you going to continue avoiding the subject?"

"**Ada** married me off to some elf I'd never met. I had a daughter. My husband died, so I returned home because his family hated me. Legolas and I got married, and **ada** took my daughter away from me. We were in a battle, and Haldir got shot in the leg. I healed him, but got killed.

"The next thing I remember is being Hermione Granger. Gandalf tells me, I was reborn and sent here with him and Minerva as my protectors. After the battle, I found this passage, and literally fell into Middle Earth. I woke in Rivendell. I joined the Fellowship, and we destroyed the Ring."

Nira went on to explain the events that led to the destruction of the Ring of Power. Rowena sat in quiet thought as everything was revealed to her. She listened to what Nira had planned until their return to Middle Earth.

"I wish to return as well," Rowena stated. "I have been away for too long. With the elves leaving Middle Earth, I may as well accompany them to the Undying Lands. Now, these friends of yours in this world, I don't like the sound of them. I would like to meet them to be sure they deserve the respect they are being given."

"We could go, now, or at least after Legolas and I go talk to Minerva. We want to get married here."

"Shall we go then?"

Rowena stood along with Nira, Legolas, and Haldir, leading them out into the school. Rowena looked around in wonder at the subtle changes that had occurred since the school had opened. She still knew the way to the headmaster's office and could walk to any location in the castle blindfolded.

Minerva merely smiled when they told her of the reason for their visit. She summoned the house elves to prepare the grounds for the wedding. Nira thanked the headmistress and left with Legolas and Haldir so Rowena and Minerva could catch up with one another. The trio walked into the Great Hall and found Ginny and Luna. When the girls were told about the wedding, they were ecstatic.

Later that day, the wedding was taking place on the grounds. Nira sat in Rowena's chamber with her mother, Ginny, and Luna fussing over her hair and make-up. Rowena walked into the room with a shining oak box in her hands. She gave the box to Nira, who opened it and gasped.

"The diadem wizards know was not the real diadem," Rowena explained. "This is. This was one of the few things I brought with me from Middle Earth. Just because I turned down the ring of power I was offered, it didn't stop me from being an elf queen. I pass it onto you."

Nira hugged her mother tightly, unable to form words. Rowena put the diadem on Nira's head, fitting it perfectly into her curled hair. Nira stood and looked at herself in the floor to ceiling mirror. She was in a pale blue dress that shown in its simplicity.

"This is so different than the first time," Nira whispered, earning strange looks from Luna and Ginny, so she explained. "This isn't my first time marrying Legolas. I died saving Haldir and ended up reincarnated."

"How long ago?" Luna asked. "You had to have been born when you died to be so close in age."

"Age is a number that I don't have to worry about. I was nearly four thousand when I died. Legolas is now almost three thousand, and I am almost a century old. Time travels differently between here and Middle Earth. One year here is five there. Immortality doesn't hurt either."

Nira smiled at her two friends before sitting down again to wait impatiently for the wedding to start.


	25. Chapter 25

Rowena walked out onto the grounds to where the wedding was being held. There were very few people there, some of her daughter's friends. She overheard a redhead and a boy with glasses talking to each other.

"What do you think about this?" the redhead asked the other.

"I don't know what to think," the bespectacled boy replied. "Honestly, Ron, I don't know what has you worked up. It's just some wedding."

"But why the short notice? Why are we here? We probably don't even know the people getting married."

"My apologies," Rowena said walking over to them. "May I ask your names?"

The two boys exchanged looks before answering.

"Ron Weasley."

"Harry Potter."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Rowena told them. "My daughter is the one getting married."

"We don't have many guys who would invite us to their wedding," Ron hissed at Harry. "What's with the ears?" he asked Rowena.

"What about my ears?" she asked in reply.

"They're pointed, like those weird people who showed up with Hermione."

"Let me guess, Gryffindors."

"Through and through," Harry replied.

"I can tell. You were sorted correctly. You're just like him. He and Salazar were two of a kind, sentimental children forever complaining about how they didn't get their way."

"What do you mean by that?" Ron snapped.

"All the founders had differing beliefs in who should be taught magic. Salazar was all for blood purity, but everyone knows that. What they don't know was that Gryffindor was a sexist, and Hufflepuff was racist. She only wanted humans to learn magic."

"And Ravenclaw?" Harry prompted.

"Teach them all, house elves, centaurs, giants, elves, goblins, any creature that wanted to learn magic. See how well that worked out. Salazar leaving was the best thing that happened to this school, because it opened the door to understanding that Gryffindor was an arrogant fool. He was the only one who stayed, so he got to write the history, obviously leaving out a few things.

"Now, if you'll excuse me. The wedding is about to start."

The wedding began with Legolas, Aragorn, Haldir, and Gimli were standing in the front of the chairs. Ginny and Luna hurried in and stood opposite the men, winking at Legolas. Nira walked in, receiving gaping stares from Harry and Ron. The wedding was in traditional elvish, confusing most of the wizards. Legolas leaned toward Aragorn.

"**This is so different than last time**," he whispered.

"**Is that a bad thing?**" Aragorn asked.

"**Hell no**."

The wedding concluded, and Nira pulled Legolas in to kiss her. The wizards dispersed into the tent that had been set up for the party afterwards. Aragorn kissed Nira's cheek after embracing Legolas.

"**Keep him in line**," he whispered to her.

The newly married couple followed their guests, ignoring the glares from Ron and Harry. Rowena walked over to her daughter and smiled at Legolas standing beside her. The elves around them looked at her in shock and awe, before inclining their heads to her. Aragorn bowed to Rowena before addressing her.

"**I am honored to meet the legendary queen of the elves**_,_" he told her.

"Aragorn son of Arathorn," Nira whispered to her mother.

"**So,"** Rowena said skeptically, inspecting Aragorn closely. "**This is the new king of men, or he will be. One of the D****ú****nedain. How old are you?"**

"**Eighty-seven**_,_" Aragorn replied.

"**A good age to begin your reign. You have the worldly experience needed to rule your people, but you have the youth to carry on. I approve. I was given the job of approving the kings of Men. Sauron tried to kill me because, if I did not approve of the king, he could not be king."**

"**I am very grateful**_,_" Aragorn said bowing to her again.

"**But,**" Rowena said smiling, "**it is no longer in my authority to give approval, but I think you have already earned it from my daughter.**"

"**You passed on your title to Nira?"**

"**I think she can handle it, but that would require you to keep her in Middle Earth as your- Ambassador to the Elves, I guess."**

"**Honestly, m'lady, it would be harder for me to try to get her to leave Middle Earth. I have learned a lot about the stubbornness of women while dealing with her."**

While they talked, Nira found Mrs. Weasley who hugged her tightly. Nira smiled at Molly before turning to the rest of the family. Harry and Ron were the last for her to come to. They both were fuming, Ron's face almost as red as his hair.

"What's he threatening you with?" Ron snapped.

"What's who threatening me with?" Nira asked.

"Your _husband_. What is he threatening to do if you didn't marry him?"

"Nothing. I married him because I wanted to. You should be nice talking about a prince. His guard won't like it."

"So," Harry accused. "You married him for power. You married him because he's a prince."

"I don't need to marry him to have power, Harry James Potter," Nira yelled, pushing his chest. "I was born with it."

"Really? How is that?" Ron asked.

"I was born a princess, and this morning I was made queen."

"And what mythical land is that, _your majesty_?"

"Middle Earth, where I plan on returning when a month's time has ended. There I will take my throne as Queen of the Elves."

"That's what you were speaking during the wedding, elf-speak?"

"Yes, it was. Do you have a problem with that, Ronald?"

"And what would we call you were we in this Middle Earth?"

"Lady Nira Ravenclaw."

Nira turned away and pulled Legolas to the dance floor.


	26. Chapter 26

It had been nearly a month since Legolas and Nira's wedding. Ginny and Luna had accepted Legolas and the rest of the people from Middle Earth easily, while Harry and Ron fought all but kicking and screaming, like two-year-old children. Luna found Legolas and Nira in the gardens, wanting to talk to them.

"Hermione-Nira," Luna corrected herself. "I've been thinking about this a lot lately. What was being spoken at your wedding? Ginny said it was some other language."

"Elvish was spoken," Nira replied, smiling. "Why do you ask?"

"I understood it, all of what was being said."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, and what confuses me more, is that my dad says _I'm_ the last heir of Ravenclaw. Ever since you came back from wherever you were, I've been having these dreams, always the same dream, over and over again. I see your faces. That's it, nothing else, but I'm always disappointed when I wake up, that it was just a dream."

"Ithilwen," Nira said.

"What?" Luna asked.

Nira stepped toward Luna and pushed her hair behind her shoulder, looking behind her ear. She saw a small dark spot in the shape of an eagle. Nira pulled Luna into a tight hug. When she pulled away, her eyes were filled with tears.

"After all this time," Nira whispered, "You've been right under my nose. Luna, tell me the truth. How old are you?"

"Much older than I look," Luna whispered, "only my father told me to never tell anyone exactly that age."

"What happened to your mother?"

"Father says she abandoned me to run off with some man she met."

"That's not true," Nira snapped. Her voice softened. "I wanted to keep you. He took you from me, because I didn't do what he said. He's not your father, he's mine."

"I don't believe you," Luna yelled, running back into the school.

"Ithilwen!" Nira yelled.

She fell into Legolas' arms and cried.

"I thought you said he had dark hair," Legolas whispered.

"He did," Nira replied.

"Then, why is she blond? Unless, the only reason you let him touch you was to cover up what happened with us."

Nira didn't meet his eyes.

"Your father didn't take her away because you were marrying me. He took her away, because you- because we defied his wishes and the unspoken rules of the elves. Ithilwen is my daughter, isn't she?"

Nira nodded and looked at Legolas, her eyes pleading his forgiveness.

"Her hair was so dark when she was born, I couldn't be sure whose she was. I wanted to tell you that she could have been yours but I didn't want to say something I couldn't prove."

* * *

Luna ran through the halls of the school, not knowing where she was going. Tears streamed down her face, clouding her vision. She found a door and hurried inside. She gasped when she looked around and saw an elaborately decorated room. She jumped when she saw a man sitting in one of the chairs.

She recognized him as one of Nira's friends. He had long blond hair and dark eyes. He stood gracefully and walked over to her.

"Can I help you with something?" he asked, giving her a wary look. "You appear to be upset."

Luna started sobbing, pulled out of her stupor. Haldir pulled Luna into his chest, hating to see her crying. He ushered her over to the sofa and helped her sit down. He knelt in front of her, when her tears slowed.

"What has such a maiden so upset?" he asked.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Luna replied.

"Alright then, to a safer subject. How are you able to enter this room?"

"What?"

"Only someone from Middle Earth is able to find the door at all."

Luna blinked twice before telling him what had transpired between her and the other two in the gardens. Haldir listened intently to what she said, piecing together the life of his friends he never knew. He had met Nira's forced husband and knew his hair was dark. Beyond that, he hadn't known much.

"Nira told me she had the same experience, with the dreams. It had happened in Lorien. She remembered me getting shot, and her attempt at saving me. It worked, thus I'm here, but she got kill instead. She remembered dying."

"Why are you telling be this?"

"Because what finally convinced her that it was memories and not dreams was when she said your name. Legolas and Aragorn knew who you were, and, when she said your name, they wanted to know how she knew it. Few knew Nira had a daughter, and fewer still knew her name."

"But why am I not with her, if I _am_ her daughter?"

Haldir saw the desire to believe him in her eyes. He understood what she must be feeling. Luna didn't feel like she belonged, not had. She wanted a reason for that.

"Nira's father spirited you away the night before Nira and Legolas got married. It was about a thousand years ago and before Nira was killed. I don't know why he did, but he was very against their marriage."

"He took me to _spite_ her?"

"To spite them both, I think."

"Why do you say that?"

"Nira's betrothed wasn't blond, nor is anyone in Nira's family. There is a code elves live by, and we don't break that code. Generally, we only marry once. There have been a few exceptions to that one over the years, but there are others we do not break. You being blond means most likely Legolas and Nira broke that code."

Haldir felt awkward saying it so he hoped she understood. He didn't want to have to spell it out for her. Luna looked at him, eyes wide. He sighed in relief, knowing she got what he was trying to say. He sat down beside her, putting an arm over her slumped shoulders. Luna looked at him and brushed his cheek, making him turn away slightly.

"I'm only about two hundred years old," she whispered.

"Time passes differently between this world and Middle Earth, or so Nira says. This world travels five times slower."

"That would make me almost one thousand. Haldir?"

He turned to look at her, and her lips met his. He was startled by the contact, having never been kissed before. Luna pulled back an inch before blushing. Haldir leaned into her again, restarting the kiss. Neither heard the door open and Nira and Legolas enter. The pair looked at each other and smiled, before slamming the door shut. Luna and Haldir jumped apart, both blushing scarlet.

"So you believe us now?" Nira asked.

Luna nodded, not looking at who she realized now were her parents. Haldir was avoiding their eyes as well. Nira smiled and walked over to him.

"Thank you," she told him, kissing his forehead.

Nira walked back over to Legolas and took his hand. She pulled him toward their room before throwing Luna and Haldir a glance.

"Don't be so awkward about things," she told them.

Nira and Legolas walked into their room, and Legolas pulled Nira into him. He kissed her deeply, pouring all his happiness of having of daughter into the kiss. He leaned to her ear and whispered, "I am the only male in the entire world who can say he took one girl's virginity twice."

"You've only taken it once," Nira said raising an eyebrow.

"Let me say that again, later."


	27. Chapter 27

Luna watched her parents leave, before looking at Haldir. Haldir propped his feet up on the table in front of him and extended an arm to her. She moved under his arm, tucking her legs under her. She rested her head on his shoulder. He moved his other hand to lace his fingers with hers. Haldir began to tell her about what Middle Earth was like, before and during the Ring of Power had tried to return to Sauron.

After a while, they lapsed into a comfortable silence, where Luna fell asleep. The door opened to reveal Aragorn, Gimli, and the hobbits. Haldir quickly shushed them, not wanting Luna to wake. The hobbits and Gimli quietly went to their rooms. Aragorn looked at the girl situated in Haldir's arms.

"**Who is she**?" he asked in a whisper.

"**Nira's daughter**," Haldir replied.

"**Who is her father**?"

"**Do you not know**?"

"**Legolas? But she was born before their marriage**."

"**She wouldn't have been, had they had their way**."

"**No wonder Legolas was so depressed after Nira died****. It's odd he didn't**."

Aragorn smiled at the sleeping girl before going to his rooms.

* * *

Three days passed, and the morning of their return to Middle Earth dawned. Luna had written to who she thought was her father, asking him to come to the school. She sat in McGonagall's office, with Legolas, Nira, and Haldir hidden in the shadows. Rowena walked in and joined the three elves, wanting to offer any help she could.

Xenophilius Lovegood stepped out of the fireplace, smiling to the Headmistress and Luna. He took the other chair in front of the desk.

"Did Luna do something wrong?" he asked, after no conversation started.

"Quite the opposite," McGonagall replied. "She has come across some information that worries her. She wanted to know what your take on it was."

"Luna, what is it?"

"I keep seeing two faces," Luna said, "that I feel like I've seen before, but I don't know where. Why do I have to hide the way I look and my age? Why do I feel like I don't belong here, like I'm not meant to be here? Why does no one else know the language we speak?"

"I've told you all of that before."

"What happened to my mother?" Luna whispered. "What really happened to her?"

"I've told you many times, Luna. She abandoned us."

"NO, SHE DIDN'T!" Luna screamed, standing. "WHY DO YOU LIE TO ME?"

Xenophilius pulled away from the furious girl as if she would spontaneously combust.

"She died," Luna snapped. "She was killed saving Haldir."

"How do you know that name?"

"The Valor granted her a second chance."

"How do you know that?"

"Because, **ada**, she met me," Nira said from behind him.

She moved around the chairs to glare at her father. The Ravenclaw diadem encircled her forehead. Luna stepped away from the pair. Nira and Xenophilius stared at each other for a long time in silence.

"Why?" Nira asked viciously. "Why did you take her?"

"You weren't fit to mother her," he replied bitterly. "Her father was dead, and you were slightly insane."

"Don't you get it, **Ada**? Her father didn't die. Surely, you noticed. Her hair is blond. Where did she get that if not from her father? I broke the unwritten code of the elves, because I promised Legolas I would marry him. I didn't want to marry that monster you forced me to marry. Mother wouldn't have made me."

"Your mother is dead, Nira."

"Xeno, you speak of what you do not know," Rowena said softly, stepping out of the shadows. "You betrayed me, not I you. I could not bear to be around someone who did not love me. I didn't want to marry you. You only wanted the power that came with the marriage."

"**Ada**," Nira said, "We are returning to Middle Earth, and if my daughter wants to come with us, she may. You have no control over her."

"You are not technically her mother. The only way you can take her back is if her father-"

"Her father _is_ here," Legolas said darkly, not moving.

Xenophilius spun around to stare at Legolas and Haldir who were both standing with their arms crossed, glaring at him. Xenophilius glared furiously at the lot of them before vanishing into the fire.

"Did you mean that?" Luna whispered. "That I can come with you?"

"Of course I meant it," Nira replied. "You are old enough to make your own choices."

Luna ran over to Nira, hugging her tightly. Legolas joined them, pulling his family close to his chest. Nira saw Haldir watching Luna intently and lifted her daughter's chin. She flicked her eyes toward Haldir, and Luna instantly understood. She turned to Haldir and kissed him.

"There are many preparations that need to be done if we're going to leave tonight," McGonagall said. "Professor Flitwick is taking over as Headmaster, and the house elves are readying the horses. Pack what you want to bring with you back to Middle Earth."

As the sun set, the hobbits, Aragron, Gimli, Legolas, Haldir, Nira, Nira's elven guard, and Luna stood in the Entrance Hall. Harry, Neville, and the Weasleys said their good-byes to Nira. Rowena joined then, making them gape at her.

"You're-" Charlie stammered, unable to finish the statement.

"Rowena Ravenclaw," she finished for him, smiling. "Yes, I am. You must be the Weasleys. My daughter has told me a lot about you."

"The Grey Lady?" Bill asked.

"Nira," Rowena corrected.

Minerva walked down the staircase to join the group.

"The portal is about to open," she told them. "We have to get ready to go."

"Minerva?" Molly whispered. "You're going with them?"

"Molly, I am one of them. Albus and I never belonged here. He needed to return months ago, while I was still needed here."

The house elves led their horses up to the doors, with all their belongings packed. Nira, Minerva, and Luna stayed where they were, while the others in their company readied for departure. Nira smiled at those she was leaving behind before joining Legolas. Luna walked over to Ginny and hugged her.

"Thank you, Ginny," Luna whispered, "for being a good friend."

"Why does this sound like a good-bye?" Ginny asked.

"Because it is. I'm sorry."

Luna stepped over to Neville and kissed his cheek.

"Stay as you are," Luna told him. "You don't need to change at all."

She and Minerva turned to leave the castle. As they went, their appearance changed. Their ears formed elven points. Minerva's hair fell out of the tight bun she wore to delicate brown waves. Her face lost all signs of age, taking on the look of youth.

Luna took the hand Haldir offered her, allowing him to pull her up on the horse, in front of him. Nira cast one last look at the castle before turning her horse toward the forest, the others following. She thought she felt when they passed through the portal to Middle Earth, but couldn't be sure. They broke from the trees to see a plain and Minas Tirith in the distance.

"We should arrive by sundown," Aragorn commented.

They continued to ride as they crossed the plains. True to Aragorn's prediction, at sunset, they reached the gates. Gandalf was waiting for them as they reached the top of the city.

"You have more than I expected," he said eyeing Luna and Rowena. "Aragorn's coronation will be in a week's time."

* * *

The entire population of Minas Tirith and many elves stood outside the main hall of the white city. Aragorn knelt in front of Gandalf on the steps, Nira by the wizard's side.

"Now come the days of the king," Gandalf announced. "May they be blessed."

Aragorn stood smiling at Nira and turned to look out over his people. He began to sing in elvish to conclude the ceremony. He held out his arm to Nira, who took it. They walked through the crowd, everyone bowing as they passed.

"Don't look so nervous," Nira reprimanded in a whisper.

"Says my elf advisor," he replied laughing slightly.

"Just doing my job."

Legolas caught Nira's eye and nodded slightly. He walked toward his friend and the king, bowing respectfully. He looked to the side slightly, and Aragorn followed his eyes. Arwen stepped toward them. Nira left Aragorn's side and joined Legolas. He pulled Nira into his chest as Aragorn kissed Arwen.

* * *

A month had passed since Aragorn's coronation, and the hobbits were back in the Shire. Frodo handed mugs of ale to Sam, Merry, and Pippin. They looked around at the hobbits that were going about their lives as if there had been no war over the Ring of Power.

The door to the pub flew open with a crash of thunder and four towering cloaked figures entered. The hobbits cowered away from the beings, some screaming in fear. Frodo and Sam were gripping the daggers in their belts.

"Sorry about that," a woman's voice said. "The storm's pretty nasty."

They pulled down their hoods, and the four hobbits of the Fellowship relaxed seeing Nira, Legolas, Haldir, and Luna. The four elves removed their cloaks and walked over to Frodo. Nira inclined her head to him, while the gesture was repeated by her three companions.

"Why are you here?" Frodo asked.

"We were in the area, and the storm came on very quickly," she explained. "We knew of a hobbit who would offer us hospitality until the weather clears."

"Of course, stay as long as you like."

* * *

Five years later

Frodo, Merry, Sam, and Pippin along with Bilbo neared the harbor. They were met with the sight of the elven rulers waiting by a ship, ready to depart into the sea. Elrond and Galadriel led Bilbo onto the ship. Rowena, Nira, Legolas, Haldir, and Luna stepped out onto the dock.

Rowena said her goodbyes to her family before boarding the ship. Gandalf, Minerva, and Frodo soon followed, and the ship set out over the shining waves.


	28. Epilogue

**Here we go with the final chapter. This chapter is dedicated to Angel JJK.**

Epilogue

Many years had passed since Aragorn son of Arithorn had been crowned King of Men, one hundred and twenty to be exact. Sam had lived much longer than a normal hobbit, and upon reaching what he believed was his life's end, he sailed into the West, to the Undying Lands. Haldir and Luna had joined the many elves in the Undying Lands after one hundred years. Merry and Pippin had served Aragorn until they breathed their last. They were buried in the tombs of the Kings. Aragorn was reaching the end of his life, Nira knew, and with him, Arwen's as well. Eldarion would become king of Men and would rule as his father had.

Nira sat awake on the edge of her bed. She couldn't sleep. Legolas sat up. He wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her cheek lightly.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Surely, you feel it, too," Nira replied. "There is a darkness creeping through the castle. An undefeatable malice that searches for a victim."

"You are just anxious," Legolas told her. "You haven't been sleeping well lately. Your nerves are on edge."

"I guess."

Nira lay down in their bed, resting her head on Legolas' chest, but sleep evaded her. She sat up suddenly and left her room. She found herself drawn to Aragorn and Arwen's chamber. She knocked on the door, before she heard muffled sobs. She pushed the door open to find Arwen leaning over Aragorn, tears streaking her face. Aragorn looked peaceful in sleep, but Nira soon realized what her unease had been. The King of Gondor had died. She called for a servant to summon Legolas and Gimli.

Nira hurried over to Arwen, pulling her into a comforting embrace. Nira felt tears forming in her own eyes at the loss of a friend, and the two women were soon both crying. Legolas and Gimli ran into the room, but halted at the scene before them.

Legolas moved across the room and said an elven prayer over Aragorn. He put a hand on Nira's shoulder, hiding his feelings behind a stoic façade.

The city of Minas Tirith was in mourning for days. Aragorn's funeral took place, and he was entombed with his forefathers. Arwen left for Lothlorien within three days, ready to give up her immortal life for good.

Nira crowned Eldarion king a month after his father's death, two weeks after news of his mother's passing had arrived. Nira stood in the throne room, while Eldarion watched her.

"You will be leaving, soon," he said.

It was not a question. Eldarion had always known Nira would leave Middle Earth with Legolas once his father died.

"Yes," she replied. "You will make a great king, and there is no need to have an elven advisor with no elves to report to."

"Haldir and Luna will be glad to see you again."

"And I will be glad to see my mother. Lord Elrond would be proud of the man you have become, Eldarion. Your parents were and always will be proud of you."

"What of your family in your world?"

"It has been twenty-four years. It should be obvious I am not going back. Legolas and I will depart today for the harbor, to sail to the Undying Lands."

Eldarion stood and embraced her long time friend. He took her hand and walked with her to the stables where Legolas was waiting with Gimli. Eldarion kissed Nira's cheek and bowed to Legolas and Gimli.

"**I Melain berio le**," he said. (**May the Valar keep you**)

"**Ná Elbereth veria le, ná elenath dín síla erin rád o chuil lín,**" Nira replied. (**May Elbereth protect you, may her stars shine on the path of your life.**)

Nira mounted her horse and Legolas and Gimli did the same. With one last look at Eldarion, she rode out of the city. After a week of travel, they arrived at the harbor to find a ship awaiting them. They took their belongings from their horses.

"**Return to Minas Tirith, to Eldarion,**" Nira instructed the horses.

The beasts shook their manes, snorting in understanding before turning down the path they had taken to arrive. The trio boarded the ship, and it began sailing of its own accord. Nira sat on the main deck, watching the sun set on the sea ahead of them. Legolas sat down beside her, taking her hand.

"I'm going to miss Middle Earth," she told him.

"As am I," Legolas replied.

They turned when they heard Gimli gagging.

"And people wonder why dwarves stay below ground," he grumbled, leaning over the edge of the ship.

Nira and Legolas laughed at their friend. He could hold an unnatural amount of liquor but lost his lunch when sailing on a relatively calm sea. They turned back to the sunset, and Nira gasped. A flash of light flew at them, bringing every sensation, even ones that aren't usually experienced at the same time.

They found themselves standing in a garden in an elaborate city, the likes of which they had never seen. A woman walked toward them, smiling.

"Welcome to the Undying Lands."

The End

**There you have it. I hope you like it. **


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